Serving Whitman County since 1877
Serving Whitman County since 1877
A backhoe purchase by the Town of Garfield continues to draw controversy after its approval Dec. 7.
The backhoe, purchased on a bid by Reuel Klempel, the town's Public Works superintendent, has not yet arrived in town after Klempel acted without approval by the town council, which later signed off on the purchase – after questioning why it happened as it did. One councilman called for a public reprimand of Klempel.
“It was just a misunderstanding, a misinterpretation,” said Garfield Mayor Ray McCown. “He (Klempel) probably wasn't authorized at the moment, but if he hadn't done it we wouldn't have gotten it.”
The council previously voted in November to set aside $35,000 for a potential backhoe purchase.
Klempel bid on a State of Washington surplus site. The hoe was housed in a state yard in Davenport.
After the winning bid, the Garfield council still could have voted to disapprove the purchase.
“We could've voted it down,” McCown said. “But then our credibility with the state would've been in jeopardy.”
Tim Southern, former Garfield town councilman, does not think the $29,600 2003 New Holland backhoe is necessary for the town, but believes the way it was bought is more significant.
“The council is basically being pushed around by the city employee and the mayor,” Southern said. “In most other cities, you do that and you would be fired.”
McCown expects Garfield's new item, with three buckets, to arrive in early January.
“It's got everything on it,” McCown said. “Only 800 hours on it, it's probably a $40,000-$50,000 backhoe. It's everything we wanted.”
Klempel, who started in Garfield Sept. 6, a Level IV certified wastewater plant operator, lives in Eltopia. He originally interviewed in Garfield last year. McCown offered him the job then but the town's pay rate was below Klempel's qualifications. He declined and was hired at Lake Stevens, Wash., where he commuted for the job.
Last summer, he called McCown saying he had quit in Lake Stevens.
So he and McCown talked again, the Garfield mayor increasing the salary offer from $45,000-$50,000 to $60,000 per year. Klempel accepted, promising to stay at least one year.
His salary comes mainly from the town's sewer and garbage fund.
Klempel commutes to Garfield, works four 10-hour days and stays with in-laws in Colfax.
“He has found things we've been doing wrong for 40 years,” McCown told the Gazette in October.
Funds to pay for the new backhoe were split by Garfield's Equipment Capital Fund, now with $47,200 remaining, and Utility Equipment Reserve Fund, now with $49,750 remaining.
Southern contends that the town's mini-excavator (Bobcat) and skid-steer loader were sufficient.
“There's no reason why you need a backhoe,” Southern told the Gazette in December. Southern's town council approved the sale of the town's previous backhoe by Mayor Pfaff in 2013.
“For two years it never moved. It just sat there,” said Southern.
Garth Meyer is a former Whitman County Gazette reporter.
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