Published: September 26, 2008 11:36 pm      

Shared purchase moves ahead

PATTON — Officials from Nanty Glo, Northern Cambria and Patton were on hand in Patton on Thursday to view a demonstration of a boom-mower that all three municipalities are considering purchasing together.

Nanty Glo Borough Manager Samuel Sulkosky is planning to visit Northern Cambria and Patton Borough councils at their October meetings to gather feedback from the demonstration, as well as answer questions relative to a proposed intermunicipal government agreement.

All three boroughs are protected by miles of flood levee systems, which require labor-intensive maintenance that often is expensive. Improper maintenance can result in deficiency ratings from the state Department of Environmental Protection.

Low ratings, which have been the case in Northern Cambria for several years, prevent boroughs from obtaining future levee grants and state and federal disaster aid if a major flood would occur.

Sulkosky said that, while the mower used on Thursday’s demonstration was smaller than the one being considered for purchase, it was well-received by those on hand.

“I took our street crew up, and people from the other boroughs were there, and they got to look at it for the first time,” Sulkosky said. “I think it’s promising.”

He described the mower as a large farm tractor with a

30-foot arm extension, which would likely be moved from one municipality to the other on a trailer. Preliminary pricing shows the equipment would cost about $80,000 – and would be much more affordable if more than one borough shared the cost.

“Boroughs can’t afford the cost of labor to maintain these levees properly,” Sulkosky said.

Inmate labor from the Cambria County jail recently cut the grass on Nanty Glo’s levee system, and it took two weeks, Sulkosky said.

A boom-mower would significantly improve the time spent mowing the levee.

In addition to the boom-mower, Sulkosky is hoping positive feedback from Patton and Northern Cambria will result in other cooperative agreements.

“There are four or five pieces (Nanty Glo) needs, and we can’t afford to buy them ourselves, especially in one year,” Sulkosky said.

His inspection of the borough’s equipment yielded a need for a street sweeper, asphalt machine and an asphalt rolling machine.

“I think this has a chance to grow into something much bigger,” Sulkosky said.

Northern Cambria Borough Council is scheduled to meet Oct. 13, while Patton’s council is scheduled to meet Oct. 14. Both meetings start at 7 p.m.