Springdale's arsenal to fight icy roads will soon nearly double, after the City Council on Tuesday night approve $157,112 to fund five additional pieces of equipment.
The new equipment to drive out the snow includes two front snow plows, two belly plows and two salt and grit spreaders. Public Works Director Sam Goade said the new equipment will help fight severe winter storms more efficiently.
"There's always a chance that we will not have heavy winter weather events like we've had this year for a while, but we can't bet on that," he said. "We are getting the equipment in the event we need it in the future."
Goade said the new equipment will arrive in 60 to 75 days. He said he expect the equipment to be incorporated into the snow and ice removal fleet at the end of this year.
The city also approved a building, which Goade said will keep large volumes of road salt dry and pre-treated with beet juice.
"It's important that when we load materials onto the spreader truck that they are not covered with ice or clumping," he said. "We have to make sure the materials go through the machine and onto the road in the most efficient manner."
Mayor Doug Sprouse said the Public Works Department reallocated road maintenance funds to pay for the equipment.
"This was a good year to divert some of that money," he said. "We will still be doing some milling and resurfacing, but we are cutting back on the amount of miles that we are going to do that this year. We are using that money to help purchase this additional equipment."
Sprouse said he believes it was the right time for the city to buy new equipment.
"I don't think we went nuts on it," he said. "We didn't get stupid on it. For events that happen very rarely here, I think we will be much more prepared for when they do happen."