Olds town council approved the purchase of an MT 6 trackless multi-purpose articulated tractor for $164,692 at its regular meeting on May 9.
Currently, the town uses several different machines to accomplish snow removal and other tasks the machine would be used for.
The machine comes with seven different attachments, including a boom flail mower used for mowing ditches in recently annexed parts of town, a broom and sprayer used to pick up gravel and keep dust down, a sander and a snowblower, among others.
The machine was used on a trial basis during the month of January.
“(The attachments) will give us year-round usage of that unit. There's also a number of other attachments that can be purchased at a another date,” said Scott Chant, manager of utilities and public works.
Chant said this machine will give town staff the ability to do multiple tasks. Previously, in the summer the town has contracted Mountain View County to cut grass for the town on its borders.
In the winter, the machine will be used to clear snow from sidewalks or trails where other machines couldn't fit in the tight confines. Previously, because the town's machinery was too big to fit onto trails and sidewalks, snow buildup was a problem.
“With this smaller snowblower … we can go into the trails, keep them open all year round for the convenience of taxpayers. The other thing is with the loader, the streets come first, (and) the trails are a second priority. Now they will basically be treated the same,” he said.
It would cost the town about $6,000 per month to rent a similar machine.
Council approved $165,000 for the purchase of the machine during 2011 budget deliberations last December.
