Officials Look to Purchase Brine Machine For Snow Removal

The Millburn Department of Public Works came close to running out of salt for the streets last week, but a new machine township officials are looking to purchase could cut down on how much salt they'd need to use in the winter.

Township officials have included $60,000 in the capital budget to purchase a brine machine, which would be used in addition to the regular salt to keep the roads salt free during the winter. The intention is to purchase the machine later this year so it could be used for the 2011-12 winter.

Brine is water saturated with salt. Township Administrator Tim Gordon said the brine can be applied to the street before an oncoming storm and it helps retard the build-up of snow and ice. Additionally, the brine can be mixed with the salt and it will make it more effective against the ice and snow on the roads.

The item is in the capital budget, but Gordon said they are examining sharing the cost with other communities. Summit officials have expressed some interest, he said.

The machine also allows officials to keep track at who is using it and how much they are using, he said. It's why township officials have a renewed interest in purchasing the machine, Gordon said. The township would be able to charge others based on how much they use it, he said.

So far in 2011, Millburn officials have spent $30,600 of its $110,000 salt budget as of Wednesday. But the township spent $102,750.28 in overtime from its budget of $100,000 and $139,280 of its $99,000 for its budget used to hire contractors.