SIDNEY -- The Sidney City Council made the transition to new elected members Tuesday.

The December 10 meeting opened with acceptance of the county clerk's certification of votes from the November 5 General Election. Four candidates were on the ballot: incumbents Burke Radcliffe with 1,230 votes and Brock M. Buckner Sr. with 802 votes; challengers Robert J. Kuhns with 1,182 votes, and Brian Fort with 1,059 votes. The top two finishers -- Radcliffe and Kuhns -- were sworn into office.

The procedure calls for the council to adjourn sine die. At that moment, the city attorney manages the meeting until council members are sworn in and the council elects a new mayor and vice-mayor. With the swearing in of Radcliffe and Kuhns, the council chose Brad Sherman to serve a second term as mayor, and councilman Paul Strommen to remain as vice-mayor. 

The meeting resumed with Sherman as mayor, Radcliffe resuming his seat and Kuhns taking his elected seat. 

Following the seating of the new council, the council met with Tom Mathine, Electricity Superintendent regarding the proposed purchase of bucket trucks.

"I was here last month to discuss the purchase a 45- and 60-foot bucket truck. It was approved, and we had a question from Mr. Radcliffe under the open market items. There was a $31,312 estimate, and I was unsure what that was for. And after talking with Tom Kelly -- he's the Altec manager for ordering bucket trucks -- he told me that there's two options here: the Sourcewell option -- that's kind of the Altec side of things, and there's the open market item. That's the body, the chassis, electrical and hydraulic," Mathine said.

Estimated delivery of the trucks is 2028. Mathine explained Altec has experienced a 5 to 7 percent increase every year in open market items. The added by the time of delivery, the costs could go up or down.

Council members asked Mathine how much the bucket trucks are used, and if there is a possibility of purchasing a used truck. Mathine said the City can back out of the purchase agreement if the cost is over budget or if it is decided to purchase a used model. The council approved purchase of new bucket trucks with the encouragement if an acceptable used truck is found, the agreement would be dissolved.