ServPro is Lewes’ No. 1 for the No. 2 business

The men and women in blue can breathe in a little easier these days at the Lewes Police Department, according to City Manager Ann Marie Townshend. The improvement in bathroom cleaning services in the police department and other municipal buildings is thanks to the team at ServPro of Sussex County. To reward them for their hard work performed on an interim basis, mayor and city council awarded the company with a one-year contract to service the City of Lewes.

Townshend said a new company was needed after Facilities Foreman Allison Kirk began to notice the previous contractor was failing to uphold its end of the bargain. The Lewes Police Department had an odor and there were several mornings when other bathrooms did not pass a visual inspection. Townshend said Kirk is very thorough in her job and not one to be swindled. After documenting the failures, ServPro was hired to carry out the rest of the contract. Townshend and Finance Officer Ellen Lorraine McCabe said the improvements in quality have been noticeable.

Mayor and city council unanimously approved acceptance of the bid, which was the only one received. As of Oct. 1, Lewes will pay ServPro $14,685.52 per month for regular bathroom cleanings until April 1, 2023. Monthly payments increase to $15,860.36 at that time, and in another year will go up to $17,129.19 per month. The rates are an increase from the previous service provider.

Included in the contract, but not yet voted on, is the option to provide bathroom attendants for the Savannah Beach and Jonnnie Walker Beach public restrooms during the summer season. Seven days a week from May 1 to Sept. 30, two bathroom attendants would be working at those facilities. If the city chooses to pick up the option, it could cost about $116,000. A second option is to double the number of bathroom attendants to four on July 4, from noon until 30 minutes after the conclusion of the fireworks. That additional service would cost the city about $9,000.

Officials believe they have time before deciding on the additional options.

Hook truck

One of the city’s main dump trucks was out of commission for almost a month this summer, as maintenance waited for parts to come in and repairs to be made. Unfortunately, that’s just one of the many problems maintenance is having with its dump trucks. Cleaning a coastal town involves nuances many other municipalities may not have to deal with, salt being the primary factor. Streets Foreman Kenny Morris recently informed mayor and city council that despite only having 20,000 miles, one of the city’s dump trucks was in need of replacement due to corrosion. A replacement would not come cheap and the process was proving to be less than ideal.

During the Sept. 29 workshop, Morris said the purchase of a hook truck would be the wisest decision. A hook truck is multi-purposed and can serve as a dump truck, salt truck and even a plow. While the $216,000 price tag is more expensive than the $139,000 figure Peterbilt offered for a dump truck, Morris said the flexibility offered by the hook truck is better for the city.

Maryland Industrial Trucks said it will accept a $25,000 down payment from Lewes, while Peterbilt would need the money up front, in full. The flexibility of a down payment comes at a time when the City of Lewes is experiencing a shortfall in transfer tax funds and is considering cuts to capital projects. Amendments to the fiscal year 2023 capital projects will be discussed at the Monday, Oct. 10 council meeting following a vote on whether to pursue the purchase of a truck. If the request is approved, officials said the down payment could fall under this year’s budget, with the remaining balance in the FY 2024 budget.