Tariff adds 2% to price tag for new street sweeper

The Village of Belgium’s quote to buy a street sweeper is rising by $7,500 and its vendor claims it could have been worse.

The village last December agreed to buy a new street sweeper from Envirotech Equipment of Lannon for $355,380. That and a new wood chipper were scheduled to be replaced in 2025, but Public Works Director Dan Birenbaum said ordering it in 2024 saved 5% since that was the projected price increase effective Jan. 1.

Now, that discount is being cut by 2% thanks to tariffs.

Birenbaum told the Village Board on Monday that his department got a call a couple of weeks ago saying tariffs raised the price by $15,000.

Envirotech said it would split the difference.

Birenbaum met with his staff and suggested asking for an invoice.

Village President Roseann Geib agreed.

“Give us a receipt. Show us that the tariffs cost $15,000. You’ve got to show us proof,” she said. “Obviously, we’re not going to get around paying for it.”

While the village was given a quote, the final price was subject to taxes and shipping, with the tariffs falling under the shipping charge.

Public Works Department employee Pat Wester said the price is still around $40,000 lower than the village would pay for another sweeper.

“They’ll sell this in a heartbeat,” Birenbaum said.

“It is what it is. We need the street sweeper,” Geib said.

The sweeper will replace the villages’ nearly 20-year-old machine. The new  sweeper, in addition to cleaning the street, can suck up leaves and clean catch basins.

Village Treasurer Vickie Boehnlein asked what would happen if the company refused to provide an invoice.

“Then are we coming back here and saying we don’t want it?”

The board unanimously agreed to pay for the tariff and request an invoice. The vote was 5-0 with Chris Plier and Dan Wolff absent.

“It would be nice to have an itemized report,” Trustee Andrew Bartley said.