1997 AGN NOV 18 I19 - Laserfiche WebLink

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CITY OF COLTON AGENDA REPORT DUPLICATE For City Council Meeting of November 18, 1997 TO: Honorable Mayor and City Council APPROVAL: Len Wood, Interim City Manager P FROM: Thomas K. Clarke, Utility Director_ SUBJECT: Approval to Purchase front End Loader at the Wastewater Treatment Plant DATE: November 12, '1997 BACKGROUND The Wastewater Treatment Plant has never had a front-end loader to perform routine maintenance in the sludge beds and to perform other tasks at the plant. When required, plant personnel has borrowed a backhoe from other departments, but this has caused numerous problems. One problem in particular is that the borrowed equipment is undersized for the work to be performed. DISCUSSION/ANALYSIS Most of the work requiring a front-end loader or backhoe involves the lifting, moving, and/or removal of extremely hazardous materials. The greatest majority involves work in the sludge beds. On the last two occasions when the treatment plant staff borrowed equipment from the Street Department or the Water Division, it has either been damaged or become stuck in the beds requiring additional equipment to extricate it. In either case, the backhoe was unavailable for use by the lending department. So as not to disadvantage the lending department, the treatment plant staff has rented equipment when necessary. The regularity of the rentals, the need City-wide for a heavy piece of equipment and the on-going efforts to upgrade the condition at the treatment plant dictate that a front end loader should be purchased. It is the opinion of the plant superintendent that a high quality, used loader would be the best option. Plant staff, with the assistance of the Purchasing Department has taken informal bids from dealers in the used equipmentbusiness. One of the bids, along with his inspection of that loader, is satisfactory to the superintendent. ALTERNATIVES The current budget includes an amount sufficient to purchase a used front-end loader. The question is not one of need, but rather of timing. The alternative is to buy now or buy later. The acquisition now would not just alleviate a problem at the plant but also lend assistance to other departments as the rainy season begins. Page 1 of 2 CITY OF COLTON Item # 19