PRESQUE ISLE, Maine — The City of Presque Isle has a “new” leaf blower truck, thanks to some ingenuity and repurposing.
Public Works employees use the leaf truck six to eight weeks a year for fall cleanup in town. The current vehicle, once a wrecked snow plow truck, is over 30 years old and the city needs a new one, said city Public Information Officer Kim Smith in a press release. However, that budget item would cost the city and, therefore, taxpayers over $70,000.
Working with Police Chief Matt Irwin, Public Works was able to obtain a 2008 Freightliner with only 13,000 original miles through military surplus at virtually no cost to the city. Two employees recently traveled to New Jersey to pick up the truck to bring back to Presque Isle.
The truck has an automatic transmission and is valued at $35,000. City workers will mount the leaf vacuum system onto the 2008 chassis in-house, thus realizing an even greater savings.
“When a city department is dedicated to saving money and respecting the hard work of its citizens, it sets an example that everyone should consider acknowledging,” Smith said.
