2009-09-21 Regular Council Session Agenda

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Couuncil Agenda Item Coover ___________________________________________________________________________ MEETINGG DATE: SSeptember221, 2009 AGENDAA ITEM TITLLE: Annuall Salt Contraact AGENDAA SECTION: Consent AAgenda CAN THIIS ITEM BE RESCHEDULED? : NNo BACKGRROUND REEVIEW: Durring sleet, snnow and/or ice storms, Public Worrks mobilizess city crews to ensure thatpublic streeets, bridges, and parkingg areas are ssafe for trafffic. The city uses best mannagement prractices in itss applicationn of snow remmoval, anti-iicing and dee-icing strateegies. Plowingis the cityy’s preferredd method ffor snow rremoval.AAs a practisnow ce, when accumulaations approoach two incches, crews aare dispatchhed to begin snow plowing operationns on bridges,priority roads and finallyy, if required, the remaining residenttial streets. The City has been able to significantly reducce the amouunt of salt appplied in snoww and ice coontrol effortsbby using beest manageement practtices and aalternativecchemicalswwhich are more environmmentally frienndly. Whennever practical, calciumm chloride, wwhich is less harmful too the environmment, is useed as an annti-icing straategy. The aapplicationoof anti-icing materials hhelps preventssnow from bbinding to thee pavementt. Anti-icing strategies aare not effecctive during ssleet, rain, and extremely hheavy snow storms. Foor those evennts, the city uses a calciium chloridee/rock salt mix aas its de-icinng strategy. The City participatess in a Salt Coooperative group compriised of 40 loocal municipaalities. The City of Chesteerfield receivves competittive bids onbehalf of thee salt Coop. The Coop salt unit pricce for the 20099/2010 salt program is $446.31 per ton, up from thhe 2008/20009 rate of $39.41 per tonn. Salt purcchases from the spot maarket are subbject to significant swings in price ranging from 550% to 100% above the CCoop price. Further, delivery of salt from the spoot market is subject to significannt weather delays which could potenntially paralyyze the city inn a severe ssnow/ice sto rm. $46.31 The Coop unit price ffor rock salt is one rate oof peer ton for falll and winter delivery. Twwo deliveriess are normal and requireed due to thee limited on--site salt storage capacitty at the Pubblic Works Faacility. RECOMMMENDATION: Staff reccommendsccontractingwwith the Cityy of Chesterffield for the SSalt Coop unit prices. It iis estimated that a total of 800 tons is needed thhis year at a total cost off $37,048.