Hollywood spent nearly $458,000 on a Python 5000 pothole patcher that was billed as a one-operator, rapid-repair street savior. Instead, the pricey rig has been parked at the city’s public works yard, sidelined after repeated breakdowns. Delivered in 2022 and pulled from service months later, the machine has mostly sat idle while staff debate whether to unload it and try to claw back at least some of the money.
How the city approved the $458K purchase
According to City of Hollywood Legistar, the City Commission signed off in February 2022 on a sole-source purchase order authorizing Python Manufacturing Ltd., doing business as Superior Roads Solutions, to provide the machine for approximately $458,180.44. Meeting records show Public Works Director Pete Bieniek walked commissioners through the patcher’s promised capabilities before they unanimously adopted Resolution R-2022-036.
Delivered in August, sidelined by December
As reported by Local 10, the Python 5000 rolled into Hollywood in August 2022 and was out of service by December after repeated mechanical problems, with warranty coverage turning out to be limited. The machine was then parked in a remote corner of the public works lot, where it sat for years. Local 10 reported that crews only moved and cleaned the unit after reporters started asking questions. Mayor Josh Levy told the station he has instructed staff to salvage what they can financially, saying, “Let’s sell it to one of those cities and let them make good use of it.”
Commission authorized legal action
The commission followed up in September 2023 by voting to let the city attorney take Python Manufacturing to court and “seek all damages” tied to the allegedly defective unit. The authorization appears on the Sept. 6, 2023 agenda as R-2023-283 and, according to City of Hollywood Legistar, the resolution passed unanimously.
Sale attempts and low bids
A listing on PublicSurplus from September 2025 shows the 2022 Python 5000 put up for online auction, with bids topping out at about $2,100. City information and local coverage have described other offers as “no more than a few thousand dollars,” a tiny slice of the original price tag. According to PublicSurplus, the city is looking at auction and municipal sale options to unload the unit.
Why other cities still use the Python 5000
Hollywood’s experience is not universal. Municipalities in Canada continue to run the Python 5000, and Ottawa recently deployed two of the machines for spring pothole work. Vendor materials describe the unit as a quick, single-operator system that cleans a pothole, applies heat, dispenses asphalt and compacts the patch in a matter of minutes. Those claims appear in coverage from CTV Ottawa and in manufacturer information from SuperiorRoads.
For Hollywood residents, the saga has become a cautionary tale about how the city vets big-ticket purchases and follows through when they go sideways. Commissioners praised the pothole patcher in early 2022, but limited warranty relief, a still-developing legal strategy and stalled resale efforts have left taxpayers with an expensive machine that never lived up to its sales pitch. City officials say they are still working through ways to make the misstep less costly to the public.
