By Lauren Waters
Correspondent

ALLOUEZ — The Village of Allouez may have found an easier and more cost-effective way of picking up leaves from streets starting in 2020.

During the village board meeting Tuesday, Sept. 17, Public Works Director Sean Gehin shared a discussion from the Sept. 11 Public Works Committee meeting to purchase a garbage truck from the City of De Pere.

Gehin explained the garbage truck would be used as a second leaf vacuum truck for Allouez, which would require it to be retrofitted with an Old Dominion Brush (ODB) vacuum unit.

During the Public Works Committee meeting the prior week, it was explained having a second leaf vacuum truck will improve the baling operation.

“Early in the season we go with the leaf packing truck to pick up the small piles, and then later in the season when there’s larger piles and more volume of leaves, we send out the baler,” Gehin said. “It is an intensive process that includes a lot of staff and a lot of equipment.”

The team estimated the value of the garbage truck to be $15,000-$22,000, and the total cost of the truck would be approximately $80,000 when retrofitted with the ODB unit.

A brand new leaf vacuum truck from the manufacturer would be approximately $250,000.

“We will continue to evaluate the different methods we use to collect leaves, but we’re expecting to see good cost savings with this second vacuum truck,” Gehin said.

This purchase would take place in 2020, and funds would come from the Village of Allouez’s five-year equipment replacement plan.

Gehin recommended the board submit an offer to the City of De Pere to purchase the garbage truck.
The motion passed unanimously.