Tarentum will replace several aging vehicles in the borough’s fleet next year.
Namely, a new bucket truck will be purchased for the municipal-owned electricity distribution company, Redcat Power. The truck is used every day and is critical to the electric system operations, officials said.
It’s essential for line maintenance, emergency power restoration and storm response, Borough Manager Dwight Boddorf said.
“Without (the truck), our ability to safely maintain the electric system or respond to outages is significantly limited,” he said.
The current truck, from the mid-1990s, has outlived its usefulness and become a maintenance problem and operational risk, he said.
Tarentum is among several Alle-Kiski Valley communities that received state grants through a recent distribution of Local Share Account funding.
The borough will get $300,000 to pay for the truck, and also to replace an aging 1999 plow truck, 2006 skid steer (akin to a mini bulldozer) and 2013 water truck.
Other towns that got money
• Other grant recipients include Harrison, which will get $175,000 to upgrade storm sewers along Olive Avenue. The project includes a redesign of the current, insufficient system to eliminate surcharging and icing.
• Fawn Township Sewage Authority will get about $50,000 to buy a maintenance vehicle that will allow staff to complete routine inspections and meter checks without the need to use personal vehicles.