Sedona City Council voted 5-1 on Tuesday, Oct. 13, to approve the purchase of a $331,404 Multihog ECV electric sweeper from Norwood Equipment Inc. The acquisition is contingent upon satisfactory reviews from current owners of the machine. This new electric sweeper is designated to clean the Uptown Parking Garage, the pedestrian underpass at Tlaquepaque, and various shared-use paths throughout the area.
Councilman Derek Pfaff opposed the purchase, while Councilman Pete Furman was absent from the meeting. City staff had presented the council with two options from Norwood Equipment: the electric Multihog ECV model and a diesel Multihog CV 350, which was quoted at $247,527. Public Works staff had recommended the diesel alternative for the city's sweeping needs, citing its lower initial cost and known operational parameters.
The chosen electric model's price of $331,404 significantly exceeded the $250,000 that the council had initially budgeted for a sweeper during the 2026-27 fiscal year budget process. Public Works Director Roxanne Holland presented a 15-year life cycle cost analysis comparing the two options. According to Holland, the diesel sweeper was projected to cost $540,750 over its lifespan, while the electric model was estimated at "just shy of $600,000." This analysis was based on assumptions that included weekly cleaning of the Uptown garage and monthly cleaning of the Tlaquepaque underpass and shared-use paths.
Holland also highlighted specialized maintenance requirements for the electric model, noting that such repairs would necessitate transporting the sweeper to Phoenix. Further complicating the cost analysis, Holland stated that assumptions were made regarding electricity costs for charging the electric sweeper because the city does not yet have its final rate. This uncertainty stems from pending finalization on solar panels at the garage from Arizona Public Service.
During the discussion, Councilman Derek Pfaff expressed his reservations about the electric sweeper. He advocated for known operational efficiency, stating his belief that the city should "stick with what we know works." He also characterized the deliberation as involving excessive consideration for a piece of equipment that is, at its core, a street sweeper.
Separately, an agreement between the city and Arizona Water Company concerning a new water main to facilitate the opening of the Uptown Parking Garage and other infrastructure benefiting Uptown residents was tabled from the meeting’s consent items. This matter has been rescheduled for the next regular meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 27.
