Amid increase in sewer and water line breaks, Sussex Borough agrees to buy a new truck

Sussex. The Sussex Borough Council on March 2 introduced an ordinance to spend $35,000 on equipment for the Department of Public Works.

The ordinance will authorize the borough to purchase a new single-axle truck.

Councilman Frank Dykstra, who cast the lone vote against introducing the ordinance, asked if it was wise to consider buying a truck at the present time.

“Do we need it right now?” Dykstra said. “Can we, and should we, wait, considering our financial situation. Whatever the scope of the work is going to be, and whatever the decision on projects, we’re going to have our DPW. Is a truck necessary, and is it the best way to spend our money as opposed to a 550 Mason dump truck?”

Councilman Robert Holowach said the borough needs bigger equipment to cope with the water and sewer breaks the borough constantly needs to repair.

Dykstra said he was concerned about underuse.

“All our DPW equipment is too small for the jobs,” Councilman Charles Fronheiser said.

Councilman Jake Little said a single-axle truck has many uses beyond construction work.

“We’re killing our trucks and our Mason dumps on snow removal,” Little said. “We had an astronomical cost because we had lots of snow.”

He also said a bigger truck will help cut costs in the future if the borough gets hit with another big snow like it did on Feb. 1.

It can also help the borough clean out its DPW garage.

“We have piles and stuff that’s in the DPW garage that needs to get out of there,” Little said. “There’s ways of getting rid of it for free, but we have to haul it. Instead of making 100 trips, with a Mason dump, we only make 25 with a single-axle.”