Town of Madrid (population 1735)
Name of service/government operation: Shared use/ownership of Highway Paving Equipment and Services
Form of sharing: Shared ownership of the equipment, operational expense, and labor requirements
Services affected: highway construction and maintenance
Year started: 1995
Partners: Town of Waddington
Primary goal(s)/motivation(s): To cut highway construction and maintenance costs and to facilitate most efficient use of materials, equipment, and labor
What planning process preceded the sharing? general discussion and pricing investigation
What governance structures and/or agreements are required to maintain this agreement? We drafted a formal shared services agreement
Challenges: scheduling and availability of materials
Benefits: reduced costs to both municipalities and flexibility in scheduling the work
Impact on budget: the purchase costs of the equipment have been surpassed by savings in equipment rental and charges for this process by other governments and private contractors
Impact on labor: none
Impact on service: improved efficiency of labor and cost savings in purchase of materials
Key contact: William Barkley, Highway Superintendent