Earle making ‘ hit list’ of junk items

Earle making ‘ hit list’ of junk items

City taking inventory of broken, outdated equipment for scrap yard, auction block

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Earle street and water departments are preparing a list of junk and surplus equipment that it intends to either auction off or send to the scrap yard, and a possible backhoe swap.

Water Department manager Danny Clark told the city council last month that he wants to auction two pick up trucks and a Ford backhoe to help pay off their new pick up truck quicker.

The city also has four junk cars just sitting at city hall which they want to get rid of as well, and a Case backhoe which is in poor shape. “I brought this up to you last month,” said street department manager William Eaves. “We can get rid of some of that stuff and put some money in the city fund.”

The council indicated that they liked the idea, but held off giving the okay to list them for auction after Councilman Bobby Luckett suggested the city may want to trade the water department for its backhoe. The water department’s Ford backhoe is in better shape and is too big for their needs.

Clark said he is okay with trading that backhoe.

“I think it will be a pretty good backhoe,” Clark said. “It will be better than the one they’ve got.”

Clark said he had the Ford backhoe serviced and the only thing wrong with it is that one cylinder is leaking. “I’ve had everything done on that Ford,” Clark said. “I just have to get a battery and get it cranked up.”

Clark suggested the city have a mechanic look over the other vehicles first to see if there is anything the city may be able to salvage and use.

Two of the cars have been listed for auction before but received no bids. The city also has two wrecked police cars.

“I don’t have a clue about the police cars,” Clark said. “There might be something they can use. I would hate to see us chuck something out that we can use.”

City Clerk Cynthia Conner asked Clark and Eaves to come up with a list of all that they want to sell or junk and have it ready for the February city council meeting.

“We need the VIN numbers and a list for the council to see so that they can decide whether to bid it out or scrap it,” Conner said.

Clark said he will have a list ready but indicated he would like the council to expedite things quickly.

“I’m ready to sell,” Clark said. “But if we’re going to do a backhoe swap we need to sit down and talk about it and decide how we are going to proceed.”

By Mark Randall