September 10, 2015

 

Dear Partners and Stakeholders of Prattville,

There is an inherent cost in doing business. In Public Works, one of our enterprise-funded efforts also known as our Sanitation Division, we are at a critical point with our equipment. This Public Works enterprise-funded division has helped reduce costs. Running efficiently is an ever-evolving goal to better serve you, our customers and friends. The long-term health of our employees and our equipment is paramount to our success. Even with our dual collection system here in Prattville, we still must be mindful of what we place in our garbage bags or cans, how we place it and where we leave our garbage for collection. All of these factors play into the efficiency and effectiveness of this department/division.

On August 18th, City Council approved an expenditure on Sanitation equipment and we thank them for their support of this needed investment. We expect these vehicles to be delivered in approximately 6 months, which is how long it takes for them to be manufactured.

We currently have 14 trucks in Sanitation; six boom trucks for yard debris and eight packer trucks for garbage service. Of these 14, six garbage trucks and two boom trucks are being replaced. We have incurred $322,463 in maintenance costs on these eight vehicles over the past four years. These vehicles range in model year from 1999 to 2010.

There is good debt and bad debt. Replacing this equipment will save us over $300,000 over the next quadrennium in maintenance costs. At a cost of $1,342,574.73 for eight vehicles, those maintenance expenses are significant. For the first time since becoming Mayor, we are financing an equipment purchase. However, the payments will be made out of the Sanitation Enterprise Fund, which is comprised from the fees citizens, like you and me, pay for service. We are reinvesting this money collected into the services we are charged with providing to you, our customers.

We need our employees and our equipment to thrive long-term and with your help, we will continue to provide the optimum service of which you are accustomed.

The difference is in our people and we are dedicated to serve. Public Works Director Dale Gandy and our management team in Sanitation, Superintendent Tracy Simpson, Foreman Carl Brown and Foreman Jamie Hyche-Jordan are all dedicated to serve you, the citizens of Prattville.

We have paid down a tremendous amount of debt over the past 4 years and 7 months, 38% to be exact, taking us from $65+ million down to $40+ million. You can anticipate more investments in infrastructure to include Wastewater upgrades, paving and capital improvements. We anticipate additional paving projects to begin in the next few months.

Please keep connected with us through our website, on Facebook and/or on Twitter for the latest information about Sanitation and all other departments and divisions, events, and so much more.

Sincerely,

Bill Gillespie, Jr.
Mayor, City of Prattville