The Eldred Township supervisors approved the purchase of a used piece of equipment for the public works department at the meeting Wednesday night.

Supervisors’ Chairman Gary Hoffman said the equipment is a Gradall with an articulating boom that can turn 360 degrees. It can be used for cutting culverts.

“We have a lot of culverts in the township,” Hoffman said. “You can‘t necessarily clean it out with a backhoe, because a backhoe creates a square box trench when what you need to do is curve those edges back, so you don’t have erosion and dirt falling in and blocking the ditch.”

Hoffman asked the solicitor if the cost of the equipment would mean that the township has to get quotes from other vendors.

Mike Gaul, the township solicitor, said the base amount that requires the township to contact at least three vendors about a product is about $12,000.

Frank Fehlinger, the supervisor of the department, said the equipment costs $15,900. It is a used 2000 Gradall XL2300 excavator in Allentown, and a new one would cost about $400,000. He said he did find another used one, but it was $60,000.

Gaul recommended that Fehlinger make sure he contacts at least two more vendors, and that he purchases the least expensive one up to $18,000 to allow for costs for shipping.

Robert Boileau, chairman of the township’s planning commission, asked if this type of purchase is in the budget.

Ann Velopolcek, the township secretary, said the supervisors set up the Capital Equipment Fund two years ago to save up for road equipment, so this purchase falls under that category and there is enough money in the account to cover the cost.

Fehlinger said that the machinery would replace the one that the township sold a few years ago. They have been using a backhoe to clean out culverts, but it’s been difficult, he said. The Gradall gathers the dirt and debris as it cuts, which reduces cleanup time and the number of hours spent on a job.

“We’ve been looking,” Fehlinger said, for about a year, but couldn’t find one.

Boileau said he’s also concerned about the age of the equipment.

Fehlinger said he went down to Allentown to look at it a couple times and he ran it twice. He said he thinks it works well.

Supervisor Blaine Silfies said he trusts Fehlinger’s judgment on the machinery. He asked him if there is anything on it that needs replaced.

Fehlinger said it has low hours in usage, but it will need some tires. Silfies agreed with him that this is routine maintenance.

The supervisors approved the purchase of the equipment with the condition that Fehlinger contacts two more vendors, and follow the solicitor’s recommendation.

In other business, Hoffman said that the Pennsylvania Department of Transportation will be replacing the concrete deck bridge on Lower Smith Gap Road within the state game lands. The bridge crosses over the Aquashicola Creek and the new one will be 40 feet long.

PennDOT also notified the township that it plans to replace a bridge on Kunkletown Road near Greenzweig Service Station, Hoffman said. It’s a concrete bridge that will be removed in 2024.

“That will be totally shut down,” he said.

Residents will have access to their driveways, but traffic will be diverted onto Kleintop Lane and Fiddletown Road.

The township also plans to draft a public speaking policy, which will be available on its website. And the supervisors scheduled the Spring Cleanup Days. They will be held on Friday and Saturday, April 22 and 23.