Malvern council debates backhoe replacement, approves trailer

Malvern Village Council spent a large portion of its Jan. 21 meeting discussing the village’s aging equipment, focusing on whether to replace an unsafe backhoe or invest instead in a new trailer and other machinery.

Village Administrator Derik Kaltenbaugh told council the village’s current backhoe is no longer safe to operate for digging due to hydraulic issues that prevent the bucket from stopping where it should.

“The hydraulics are so bad that when you stop it here, it stops over there,” said Kaltenbaugh. “I told the guys not to use it for digging anymore. If somebody gets hurt, we’re responsible.”

Kaltenbaugh said the backhoe is more than 20 years old and has cost the village thousands of dollars annually in hydraulic repairs. A new backhoe would cost approximately $140,000, while a smaller front-end loader option would cost about $94,000.

Councilman Michael McCort questioned whether the village would get more use out of a backhoe compared to a loader, particularly for deeper digging projects.

“I just feel like the town would get better use out of a backhoe,” said McCort. “What happens if the mini excavator goes down? There are still places in town where we need to dig deeper.”

Kaltenbaugh responded that the village already owns a nearly new mini excavator that handles most jobs more efficiently and safely than a backhoe, especially in tight areas where keeping roads open is important.

“With a mini, you don’t have to shut the road down,” said Kaltenbaugh. “You can keep traffic moving and still get the job done. In my opinion, the odds of needing a backhoe are slim.”

Kaltenbaugh added that when deeper excavation is required, the work should likely be subcontracted because village employees are not certified for that level of work.

While no decision was made on purchasing a backhoe or loader, council agreed the village urgently needs a new trailer to safely transport equipment.

Council approved the purchase of a new 20-foot trailer not to exceed $8,000. Kaltenbaugh said the trailer will be used to haul the mini excavator, mowers and other equipment and will replace an older trailer that is no longer adequate.

“We’ve been talking about this trailer for two or three years,” said Kaltenbaugh. “This one will do what we need it to do.”

Council also discussed exploring USDA financing programs, which may provide grant assistance when purchasing new equipment. McCort said the USDA may provide an additional $20,000 to $30,000 in funding if the village takes out a loan through the program. Kaltenbaugh said he will contact the USDA office in Massillon to see what options are available.

In an unrelated matter, council reviewed proposed changes to the employee handbook to address absenteeism, including requiring employees to use paid vacation, comp time or sick leave before requesting unpaid leave.

Council discussed concerns that the current policy has led to staffing shortages at times and approved moving forward with the revisions to ensure adequate coverage and fairness among employees.

“We can’t be in a situation where we need to be patching roads or dealing with snow and only have one person here,” said Kaltenbaugh. “There’s always something that can be done, whether it’s maintenance, cleaning equipment or finding another task.”

Council members said the changes are also meant to prevent situations where employees use unpaid leave throughout the year and then request large blocks of paid vacation time at the end of the year, creating staffing issues.

In other business, council:

—HEARD the street department continues to struggle with potholes due to weather conditions. Kaltenbaugh said cold temperatures and rain make permanent repairs impossible until warmer weather arrives. Crews are preparing for upcoming snow and are on call for winter weather.

—HEARD trees along the canal have been removed and the area now looks much better. Stump removal may be addressed in the spring.

—APPROVED entering executive session for the purpose of purchasing real property. The session lasted approximately 20 minutes. No action was taken following the session.

—DISCUSSED ongoing issues with streetlights being out throughout the village. Kaltenbaugh said AEP has been slow to respond, and McCort suggested documenting pole numbers and nearby addresses during daylight hours to improve reporting.

—HEARD Councilwoman Marci Hubbard recommend providing more detailed reports on what street and water department employees are working on, especially during slower periods or when trucks are not seen out in town. Hubbard said residents often ask what crews are doing and she would like to be able to provide answers. Village Administrator Derik Kaltenbaugh said he will work on improving those reports so council can better address those questions.

—PAID the village bills of $40,466.04 approved by the Finance Committee Jan. 21, biweekly payroll of $6,302.09 paid Jan. 15 and monthly payroll of $12,540 paid Jan. 30.

The next regular meeting of Malvern Village Council will be held Monday, Feb. 2, at 7 p.m. at Village Hall.