The Bremen Town Council members heard a request from Cemetery Sexton Nate Lockwood about the purchase of a UTV for use by the cemetery workers and other departments, if they need it.
Lockwood said it would be a big help at the cemetery.
“It’s going to aid in a lot of things we do at the cemetery from clean-up to cremation graves, to accessing areas where we can’t fit our dump truck and our loader,” said Lockwood. “Mainly, it’s going to increase safety over what we currently use.”
He said there is enough funding in his budget with a transfer of funds, and the cemetery board has given support toward the purchase. The quote through Sourcewell is just under $20,000. With the Sourcewell quote, it satisfies the government requirement to obtain three quotes for the product.
This would replace a lawn tractor already in use at the cemetery.
Lockwood said the UTV can be shared by other departments within a reasonable application. Electric Superintendent Ben Wright said his department would use the equipment to do monthly checks for pedestals when there is no snow on the ground. Street Superintendent Austin Langdon would use it for GIS checks.
Park Superintendent Brian Main said the park’s UTV has been in the shop for quite a while and it needs to be replaced.
The town council previously denied a request for a new UTV for the Street Department as it was an addition to the budget.
Councilman Michael Leman said he wants to make sure the UTV is efficient and make it work for all departments, or if there is a need for additional equipment to ensure work is more efficient.
Bremen Director of Operations Keith Fraine said the UTV would be very beneficial, especially for the Cemetery Department as it would be a better tool to use with space limitations at the cemetery.
In the end, the Bremen Town Council gave support toward the purchase. Since it was under the purchasing threshold amount, an official motion was not needed.
