Rather than ask for new equipment to replace old equipment, the Public Works Department has offered the town an option they hope will appeal to voters - converting all town vehicles to NASCAR-quality high-perfomance racing vehicles.
"We hope to be able to increase the displacement, and put in some radical cam profiles so we can open up the intake valves fast," said one employee who asked not to be named. "We'll have to remove the mufflers and catalytic converters to speed up the exhaust, re-bore the cylinders to exacting tolerances, and replace the subsystems with parts designed for high speeds and temperatures."
"If we can pressurize the cylinders, and the pistons and seals hold the pressure," said the employee, "look out next time in snows. We should be able to clear the town in about 12 minutes, if we don't hit anything." No estimates were given for paving, though similar results can be expected.
The Town is encouraging this innovative proposal as a possible revenue center. "We're talking with Valvoline and CompUSA to be the official sponsors for the 2007 plowing season, and Blockbuster has expressed interest in Paving 2008," according to officials familiar with the project.