The Lower Towamensing Township supervisors approved purchasing a dump truck body for a chassis they purchased last spring during Tuesday night’s meeting.

Brent Green, chairman of the supervisors, said supervisors intended to buy a utility truck body for the chassis, but the dump truck fits their needs and is available. E.M. Kutz Inc. in Reading has a truck body at its facility that could be installed on the truck now.

Green said the uplift kit is for a 2022 GMC 3500 truck with dual-wheel drive. It includes a 9-foot stainless steel body, central hydraulic system, spreader and a snow plow, lights and wiring, rear hitch plate for a trailer, tread plate tool box, a trailer plug, tarp system, and shuttle handle holder. The price for it installed is $53,638.

Green said the utility body was $43,658, but it didn’t come with the equipment needed for plowing roads.

“This could plow in a snowstorm and salt the roads as well,” he said.

“You can’t get any work done without the equipment,” said Supervisor Michael Takerer.

Green thinks the truck will be ready in time for winter, and he recommended the supervisors go with the dump body. They agreed and approved the purchase.

The township is still looking to hire a road crew person. Green said they have interviewed a few people, but they haven’t found a good fit. Health care benefits are a sticking point.

“We need to discuss our benefits when we go into budget time, to make sure that everybody knows what we are offering,” he said. “We offer a pretty good benefit plan. I think the question is health insurance, and that’s where it’s always been.”

Some of the candidates said they need health insurance for a family.

“Four years ago, we weren’t even offering insurance to employees, so we’ve come a long way,” Green said.

The supervisors also discussed having an electronic recycling event. Green said he will contact the company they worked with in the past to find out costs and dates that are available next year. He thinks having two events with one in the early spring and one in the fall would be best.

Green said they’ll have to put it in the budget and look at the garbage fund to see how they can pay for it.