North Judson Town Council Members Choose Not to Encumber Funds for Utility Tractor

Posted on December 28, 2017
Author Jacque Ryan, WKVI

North Judson Town Council members refrained from encumbering funds for a new tractor for the utility department when they met Tuesday night. Council members conferred that they were under the impression they were waiting until springtime to take any action on that purchase.

Councilman Josh Brown stated he’d like to know what the intended purpose for the tractor would be before they establish a specific amount intended for the purchase. Brown said he wasn’t aware of any reasons the tractor would be a necessary piece of equipment.

“What are we going to use this thing for? Right now, I’ve never seen the quote big John Deere that we have on the street in the all the years I’ve lived here.” Councilman Brown said, “I think that’s what we need is a plan. I mean it’s one thing to have that thing sitting there, it’s another thing to have a $54,000 tractor sitting there as well.”

Though he was not present during this week’s meeting, back in November, Town Superintendent Marshall Horstmann alerted council members that the current utility tractor is damaged beyond repair. He said prior to the problems, the current John Deere, which dates back to 1964, was utilized for alley grating and mowing.

Though he sent out bids for a used tractor, he stated that he received a few quotes for new tractors with loaders. Horstmann presented members with a few additional jobs that a tractor with a loader attachment could be use for during different seasons.

In his November report Horstmann said, “In the winter time if we’re using a backhoe with the snow box, and then we have to fill the salt box, I don’t have to stop with the snow box to go fill it we could just use the other one to fill it or if we’re working on a dig some place and we have to fill the truck with sand or gravel we could just use it instead of driving the backhoe back and forth.”

Tuesday night, members collectively decided to table the tractor consideration until more details can be provided. Clerk-Treasurer Andrew Rowe added that if they do decide down the line that the tractor would be a reasonable expenditure, they can assign the money for the purchase through an additional appropriation at that time.