Harford purchases new work truck

BY PAT FARNELLI

Despite some murmuring in the audience and rumors of tax increases, Harford Township supervisors moved forward with the purchase of a new Ford 550 work truck at the Tuesday, March 11 meeting.

The truck will replace an older model. Supervisor Conrad Owens explained, “The 550 is no longer on the road. It’s shot; parts are rotted out, the electrical system is shot, and the U joint went out.”

The new truck cost just over $30,000; with a dump box, hydraulics and plow purchased for about $22,000.

Owen reassured audience members, “I heard some talk about raising taxes: we already have the money from the gas lease. It is already in the budget, and we have more in that account than we need to buy this truck.”

He continued, “It turns out there are a lot more roads around here that need little trucks than roads that need the bigger trucks. You can’t turn around at the end of a road with a big truck.”

The supervisors discussed what to do with the old truck. Supervisor Doug Phelps noted that a neighboring township had offered to purchase the engine and clutch for $800. The township will keep the cinder spreader for the new truck.

Former supervisor Garry Foltz objected to selling off the parts, saying he believed “if the vehicle starts and runs, it is worth $2,000-3,000.” He said that the transmission is only three years old and the engine is a workhorse diesel. Supervisors tabled the discussion until the April meeting.
The purchase of six new tires for the grader was approved. Two of the six tires on the machine are in good shape and Phelps suggested keeping those as spares.

Owens said funds for the tire purchase were in the budget.

Bids were awarded for road materials and fuels. Suit-Kote was the low bidder for liquid calcium; Ronald Keifer had the low bid for black cinders; Eastern Industries had the low bids for 2A, 2B, R4, 67, and antiskid stone: everything except R3, which was awarded to Lopke.

The fuel contract was awarded to Mirabito for fuel oil, kerosene, gasoline and diesel. The township mowing contract was again awarded to Randy Ball of D&R Lawncare.

Several complaints were lodged regarding the condition of the state roads that run through the township. Some said that they have called the township, PennDOT, and a natural gas drilling company because they were told that the company had bonded the paved roads in that area.

Township Auditor Robert DeLuca reported that the annual audit had been completed with an examination of all documents; the township budget; debt statements; and records for the general, state and sewer funds. The report has been filed with DCED and is also on file in the county prothonotary’s office.