THERE was a little mud slinging when men got to talking about their machines at last week’s Southern Downs Regional Council general meeting.

As Director of Engineering, Peter See, showed councillors his shopping list for his department’s new toys the next year, a couple of our elected official were reluctant to dig deep for a new excavator.

The debate was a carry over from the previous week’s committee meetings where councillors grilled Mr See over his choice of a Hitachi ZX250H-3 Heavy Duty Hydraulic Excavator to replace the eight-year-old Komatsu PC200-7 Excavator.

The existing machine is located in Stanthorpe and is eight years old and therefore ready for replacement. The changeover price would be $201,227.

In initial discussions, Crs Ross Bartley and Vic Pennisi expressed their concerns over the brand and asked Mr See questions about the machine as well as the reputation of the company and its customer service record.

Mr See returned with answers to the questions at last week’s general meeting, explaining the Hitachi had an excellent reputation, but this didn’t satisfy all of our elected officials.

Cr Bartley said he would prefer council stuck with reputable brands such as Caterpillar.

"I find it difficult to go away from reputable brands. It seems to be best value for money but it takes more to convince me than facts and figures.” There was an air of disgruntlement around the table that the issue wasn’t discussed in a Plant Committee rather than at council.

Cr Pennisi said, “I would have been more comfortable if we had taken this to a Plant Committee and thrashed in out. There are still some shades of grey in my mind.”

The questioning sparked a defensive discourse by Peter See who said the principle engineer responsible for choosing the machinery has 35 years of experience and that he himself has 30 years of experience.

“There is no way in the world I would recommend anything if I wasn’t sure it was right for us.

“Are we going to inspect every car, utility and grader, there has to be a line at some point. Ultimately I do whatever you resolve to do in council but any decision I make, I’ll live by it. Nothing has turned out to be a lemon.”

Cr Neil Meiklejohn said council should make a decision and purchase they excavator. Cr Peter Blundell seconded his motion but they lost the vote and council resolved to leave it on the table until it had gone through the plant committee.

http://www.warwickdailynews.com.au/story/2010/08/05/Mud-slinging-over-new-excavator/


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