Village approves buying used excavator, skid loader

The Belgium Village Board recently gave the go-ahead to buy a used compact mini-excavator and a used wheeled skid loader for about $100,000.

The skid loader was to be examined by Public Works Department employee Brian Schmidt and his colleagues to make sure it meets their standards.

The 2023 Kubota has 65 hours of use but does not come with a warranty. Johnson Tractor of Janesville is selling it for $46,300.

A similar new machine costs $55,400. The village budgeted $55,000 for the purchase.

“I would rather have a machine with a warranty. The used one has no warranty. A lot of that stuff is hard to see,” Trustee Andrew Bartley said.

“But,” Trustee Kevin Schueller said, “remember it only has 65 hours on it.

“You want to save the $8 or $9 grand for two years for a brand new one on which nothing will probably break. The other one shouldn’t break either at 65 hours. We’re probably only going to put 75 hours a year on it.”

The board agreed to authorize the purchase of the used model.

“I would also try to negotiate a warranty at least for one year,” Bartley said.

Last month, the board agreed to buy a 2024 compact mini-excavator for $54,651 from Bruggink’s Construction Equipment in Sheboygan Falls.

Public Works Director Dan Birenbaum noted the advantage of the Yanmar SV40 model with a cab.

“Yanmar is the only excavator you can reverse the bucket on,” he said. “Guys like that feature.”

A new machine costs $72,000. The village budgeted $60,000 for the purchase.

Birenbaum said he looked at a John Deere model, but that only allowed an inch and a half clearance on both sides of the trailer and was deemed too wide.

Schueller said to be sure to buy the correct machine for what the village needs.

“Take the trailer out of the picture, buy the right machine. You can always shuffle around and get the right trailer,” he said.

Birenbaum liked the Yanmar model.

“We won’t find anything for $60,000,” he said.