West Cook News

Brookfield Trustees have approved costly upgrades for police and road workers despite some community opposition at a time when uncertainty over stay-at-home directives because of the COVID-19 virus cause concerns.

"With the amount of uncertainty going on, we don't know how deep this rabbit hole goes," Trustee Brian Conroy was quoted in the Riverside-Brookfield Landmark. "In my mind, anything outside of health and safety would be looked at as almost like discretionary spending, and I think should be shelved in the near term."

Nevertheless, the trustees approved two big capital expenditures: $48,295 for a new heating and air conditioning system for the police department and a new road grader. The vote approving the expenditures was 4 to 2.

Village Manager Timothy Wiberg told the trustees the 21-year-old rooftop HVAC unit leaked and was no longer reliable.

“The reality is, the lifespan of these things are 15 to 20 years," Wiberg said. "The problem with it is that it leaks refrigerant. We're worried to charge it, because when you charge it, everything is under pressure and more leaks develop."

The 2020 Noram 65E Motor Grader to be purchased from Livonia, Michigan-based Alta Equipment Co. will cost $169,500 and will be used as the primary vehicle to grade the village's 20 miles of gravel alleys the report said.

Joining Conroy in opposing the purchase, Trustee David LeClere said tough times called for tough measures.  

"I'm not saying cancel it, but at least put it off until we have the visibility and have an idea of what the COVID-19 impact is going to be to the village finances," Conroy said.

Public Works Director Carl Muell said delaying purchase of a new grader up to 60 days could result in the village failing to grade many of its alleys in 2020, which Muell cautioned against.

"Out of a total of 25 miles of alleys, 20 are gravel in this town," Muell said. "This piece of equipment I would say is vital to numerous residents that are going to benefit from it.”