News Talk 94.1/AM 1600 Where The Upper Cumberland Talks
Cookeville City Council will consider purchasing a new brush grinder Thursday.
City Manager Mike Davidson said the city has previously needed a contractor to help remove brush from the city.
“Six to eight months ago, we applied for a grant through the state of Tennessee to try and purchase our own grinder so we don’t have to hire someone to come in here to do this,” Davidson said. “We got a $484,000 grant to help purchase the Tub Grinder.”
Davidson said Putnam County will help cover half of the remaining expenses and will also be able to use the grinder.
“It’s a little over $107,000 from the City of Cookeville, which we’ll take out of the city fund balance to do that,” Davidson said. “The county’s going to split that with us so it’ll be $107,000 from the county as well, and then we’ll share that. We’ll have it at the brush site and we’ll grind their brush down there. We’ve got a trailer where we can haul it down to the landfill so they can grind brush as well at the landfill.”
The city will use a purchasing contract through Sourcewell Cooperative to help pay for the grinder. The total cost of the equipment is just over $700,00.
Council will consider approving the purchase at 5 p.m. Thursday during their regularly-scheduled meeting. If approved, Davidson estimates the grinder will be ready to use this summer.
