A land developer has donated $2,000 toward the repair of a city-owned excavator, the Kendleton City Council learned Tuesday.
Inexplicably, Admiral LLC wrote the city of Kendleton a $2,000 check to help offset the costs of repairing its land-moving machine.
The issue came up while council was discussing the city’s finances.
Council member Lester Aldridge said the excavator had to be put in the shop for maintenance two weeks ago.
Grace Equipment Repair invoiced the city $4,300 for multiple repairs to the excavator.
“Was it broke or did you say it needed maintenance?” Council member Rachel White asked after hearing the long list of repairs to the tractor.
Mayor Darryl Humphrey Sr. said the machine needed maintenance done on it.
He said the flywheel coupling was about to fall off, and the oil seal, rear main seal and hydro pump needed replacing, and other repairs were made.
“How did it break?” White asked.
“Just wear and tear,” Humphrey replied.
“Where did we use it at?” White asked.
“Everywhere,” Humphrey said.
“Where was it at when it was sent (to the repair shop)?” White asked, apparently attempting to place the tractor at a specific location when it broke down.
“At the city garage,” Humphrey stated.
He said city workers noticed it was leaking fluid and had someone come out and look at it. He said Grace Equipment Repair Co. sent out a repairman who said the rear main seal was leaking. The Grace repairman recommended making other repairs while repairing the main seal in the hard-to-get-to area of the machine, Humphrey said.
“(City workers) are the only ones to use the excavator?” White asked.
“Most of the time, it is, unless they have some help fixing a leak or something like that, then they have other persons with them,” Humphrey replied,
Who would be that help? White asked.
“The guy who comes over, Marlin, comes over and operates the machine and helps dig and fix leaks and things like that.”
Marlin works for Admiral LLC, Humphrey said.
Because Admiral LLC, a land development company, wrote the city a $2,000 check, the city will only have to pay the remaining $2,300.
The generous donation had some council members puzzled.
“Admiral sent the city a $2,000 to help with the costs?” White asked.
“Yes,” Humphrey responded.
“I’m just trying to figure out why Admiral would send the city a $2,000 check,” White said. “Is it because Marlin messed up something? I’m trying to make sense as to why Admiral (donated the money). Was Marlin on it when it broke and (Admiral) feels like they should be paying $2,000?”
“No,” Humphrey replied, saying the city crews were using the excavator to press trash down in a dumpster “and they noticed it leaking and stuff like that.”
“It’s just wear and tear,” he noted. “It’s not like a broke cylinder or bucket or something on the exterior. It was inside the engine. So it was wear and tear.”
Council member Sherri Schulz said she was told the excavator broke while being used on property outside the city limits.
She pointed in the direction of Admiral’s development some two and a half miles north of the city.
Humphrey did not respond.
Bouche Mickey, owner of Admiral LLC, was in the audience Tuesday. He was at the council meeting to discuss the impact of the Kendleton Special District. He took umbrage that the council members questioned the integrity of his company.
“You know when you call me? When you have a problem here. When you have a problem with your water, when you have a problem with your sewer, when you can’t get anyone else to come and fix it, that’s when you call me,” Mickey said.
“Check your records and see how much you pay Admiral.”
“The city council calls you?” council member Carolyn Jenkins asked.
“The city called me, the guys that work for you. They’ll call me,” Mickey said. “Or they’ll call my guys. Sometimes I don’t even know they’re (in town working for the city). It does not bother me one bit to get that call, but my guys are willing to help. When the water is off for a long time, to keep that from happening, we’re going to rush down and make it (our number one priority).”
He apologized if that in any way offended anyone.
“I’m going to make sure my guys stand down,” he said. “We don’t mind helping. We will help anytime any way we can. Just tell us what we need to do, and we’re going to be there to help you. And we’ll never ask you for any money.”
Mickey did not explain to the council why his company gave the city a check for $2,000 to offset the repairs of the excavator.
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