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SOMBA K'E/YELLOWKNIFE - City council has decided to go $61,812.36 over budget on a new street sweeper, believing the advanced technology of the new vehicle will improve air quality for Yellowknifers.

A new street sweeper will be on Yellowknife streets this season. Council approved the purchase of the machine on Tuesday at a price tag of $311,812.36. - Photo courtesy of Elgin Sweeper Company

The city had budgeted $250,000 for a new sweeper last December, but during a city council meeting Tuesday night the price tag was bumped up to $311,812.36. Voting for the purchase of the new street sweeper were councillors Bob Brooks, Lydia Bardak, Paul Falvo, Kevin Kennedy, Mark Heyck and David McCann. The only councillor opposed to the purchase was Coun. David Wind. Coun. Shelagh Montgomery was absent from the meeting.

"I'm not convinced of the sound approach of providing this new technology," said Wind.

He said his concern is the machine will not be able to handle the large amounts of debris and dirt on Yellowknife streets. Wind said when he asked the public works department how the new machine, a 2009 Elgin Eagle Waterless Sweeper, would handle the Yellowknife streets any better than its current stable of vehicles, "they couldn't give me a good answer."

"This purchase becomes basically a trial," said Wind. He suggested the city lease the machine first in order to see how well it works, so that if the new sweeper doesn't work there will not be money lost.

"It behoves us to make the most prudent decision on (the taxpayers) behalf," he said.

The benefits of the new sweeper, according to the city's Department of Public Works, is it can operate without water but can spray water when required. That means sweeping can start earlier in the season because there is no water being sprayed, which would freeze to make roads slippery and unsafe. When the weather warms up, water can be used, causing less dust in the air.

"It's the kind of technology we've been waiting for, looking for," said Brooks.

He said after the meeting dust caused by street sweepers has been a constant problem and source of complaints for the city. Brooks said there was once an incident years ago when a car slipped in an intersection due to a slick of ice caused by a street sweeper.

"That's why we've always been leery of (sweeping) earlier," he said, adding he has no reservations about the fact the machine will be able to perform well in Yellowknife. Brooks said the sweeper has been tested in Red Deer and Calgary, and worked fine.

"There's no question that we need the item and it sounds like there is potential cost-saving," said Falvo. He said it's always a concern when an item comes in over budget, but the extra money for the purchase will be coming out of the Mobile Equipment Replacement Reserve and not directly from general funds.

Public works director Dennis Kefalas said the city currently has three street sweepers, with the oldest in need of replacement. He said the cost of the new waterless sweeper includes the cost of shipping.

Kefalas confirmed the other two sweepers will also be replaced, but not right away.

"Probably in the next seven years we'll get another one," he said.