FILE PHOTO: Eric Dhuse, public works director for Yorkville, talks during the city's public works committee meeting at City Hall, 800 Game Farm Road. (Katie Finlon)

YORKVILLE – Aldermen are weighing a proposal for the city of Yorkville to purchase a seal coat machine to perform maintenance on city trails and parking lots. Inline Single Stage Pump

Yorkville aldermen skeptical of seal coat machine purchase proposal – Shaw Local

Public Works Director Eric Dhuse is recommending that the city purchase the machine at a cost of $72,265 from Seal Master in Streamwood. The budget includes an additional $25,000 for the seal coat material and related supplies.

“With all the trails we must maintain along the state highways, coupled with our own trails and parking lots, it makes sense to purchase the equipment needed to maintain our infrastructure on a regular basis,” Dhuse wrote in a memo to aldermen.

Performing the work with the city’s own street department crews will save the city $173,000 over a five-year-period, Dhuse said.

City Administrator Bart Olson agreed, telling aldermen the machine will increase the life-span of city-owned trails.

“It will pay itself back over time,” Olson told the Yorkville City Council at its March 28 meeting.

“It’s going to be a maintenance nightmare. What you’re saving you’re going to be spending on maintenance.”

But aldermen at the meeting were not so sure. They worried that the machine will not get enough use and that continuing to contract out the work may be more cost-effective.

“It seems to me that outsourcing may be beneficial,” Alderman Chris Funkhouser said. “We’re not necessarily getting the full benefit of having it in our inventory of equipment.”

“It’s sounds like we’re giving up a lot of employee time,” Alderman Seaver Tarulis said.

Alderman Craig Soling said the seal coater’s infrequent use would lead to tar clogging up in the machinery.

“It’s going to be a maintenance nightmare,” Soling said. “What you’re saving you’re going to be spending on maintenance.”

Aldermen tabled the proposal and are expected to take it up again at the April 11 council meeting.