Evanston is making an emergency purchase of a street-sweeping machine after one in its fleet of four burst into flames March 25.

Soon after its operator smelled smoke and stepped out of the sweeper, the cab was engulfed in flames, according to a city document. The cab and electrical and hydraulic controls were significantly damaged. The extent of the damage is unknown.

The 10-year-old vehicle was three years beyond its expected lifetime and will be replaced with a new sweeper, costing about $138,000. It would cost $60,000 to repair the vehicle, which currently is valued at $20,000.

The sweeper had been put into service after seasonal repairs earlier that week. There is a “critical need to have four machines in service at the beginning of our sweeping season because (that) is the time of the heaviest dirt and debris removal,” according to the document.

The new sweeper will arrive within four weeks. City officials plan to dismantle the damaged sweeper for parts after the investigation is complete.

Evanston’s street sweepers are the Pelican model from Elgin Sweeper Company.

City committee’s proposal would raise parking fees

Evanston’s Parking Committee will consider raising parking fees at its April 20 meeting.

One ordinance would raise rates for permit lots, raise hourly fees for parking garages to $2 and increase rates for parking meters outside downtown to 50 cents an hour, the same price as meters downtown. Another proposed ordinance would raise the parking tax 20 percent.

If the rates are not increased, the city’s Parking Fund would have a deficit of more than $11 million by 2011, according to a city report. The addition of a parking garage in Sherman Plaza is expected to raise operating costs significantly.

If passed, the plan would increase revenues about $1 million a year, according to the report.

— Mike Cherney and Tina Peng