Shores Council Accepts Grant for Refuse Truck

Grosse Pointe Shores Director of Public Works Brett Smith will be shopping for a new garbage packing truck in the coming days and weeks after being awarded a grant to pay for it.

Smith found the grant and began the application process some time ago and has been waiting to hear from the state. Finally this week, he received the good news and city council unanimously approved its acceptance Tuesday.

The grant, issued through the Michigan Department of Transportation, aims for the Shores to replace one of its refuse trucks with a newer, lower-emissions truck. The grant is through the congestion mitigation and air quality division and will provide the Shores with up to $135,000 toward the new purchase of a truck.

Council thanked Smith for his work Tuesday, complimenting him for finding the grant and pursuing it.

He said the grant will help the department replace a refuse truck from 1985, that he jokingly said would be housed next as a historical vehicle at the Henry Ford museum. The truck is very old and requires a lot of maintenance, which Smith said hasn't been much of an expense because of the level of mechanic work his team is able to perform.

He was waiting with the paperwork in hand for Mayor Ted Kedzierski's signature following Tuesday's meeting and said the paperwork would be returned to the state Wednesday.

The grant is incredibly helpful to the department, he said, noting the truck would have not likely been replaced otherwise.

Similarly, the City of Grosse Pointe accepted a grant through the same program a few weeks ago.