Town To Spend $166,985 To Buy New Electric Line Truck

The Town of Smithfield will spend $166,985 to purchase a new electric line truck. Smithfield Utility Director Earl Botkin told the town council only one bid was submitted for the truck after being advertised twice. Altec Industries submitted the only bid. The multi-functional truck will be able to dig holes for the installation of utility poles, as well as accommodate a bucket for workers to do line work. Botkin said he spoke with several vendors and they felt they could not be competitive on the equipment and did not submit bids against Altec. The electrical department had budgeted $150,000 for a new truck. The additional money will come from the capital outlay budget. The town council, in a unanimous vote, agreed to move forward with the purchase. The new truck will replace a 1990 Digger Derrick line truck that is in poor condition.