By: K. Michelle Moran | Grosse Pointe Times | Published April 7, 2026
GROSSE POINTE PARK — A couple of major vehicle purchases are expected to help the Grosse Pointe Park Department of Public Works undertake various projects in the city.
A new bucket truck will replace an existing one that dates back to circa 1991. DPW Director Tom Jenny said this vehicle is used in some tree trimming, city-owned stoplight repairs and other work.
“It’s on its last legs,” Jenny said of the current bucket truck.
During a meeting Feb. 2, the Park City Council unanimously approved the purchase of a Bobcat — for a price not to exceed $72,000 — and a bucket truck that includes a breaker and landscape bucket, at a price of $154,450. The total cost for both vehicles is $226,450.
Officials said the existing bucket truck isn’t reliable and needs considerable maintenance.
The bucket truck is being purchased from Versalift, the lowest of three qualified bids. The price breakdown is $139,450 for the truck and $14,000 for the landscape bucket and breaker.
The Bobcat Toolcat is being purchased through the state’s MiDEAL cooperative purchasing program with Bobcat.
Jenny said the Bobcat is used for leaf and garbage pickup and other work. The attachments on the new one are expected to improve efficiency, enable DPW staffers to undertake more construction and maintenance projects themselves and complete them in a timely fashion, and reduce the need for rented equipment or use of outside contractors.
Both items have been identified as needs in the Park’s capital improvement plan.
“We’re checking off items on our capital improvement plan,” City Manager Nick Sizeland said.
The Bobcat purchase will be charged to the city’s rubbish fund, and the bucket truck will be charged to the general fund.
These purchases will be covered by Federal Emergency Management Agency funds that the city has received in expense reimbursements in previous fiscal years, officials said.