ERIN – Council here awarded 10 contracts worth $2.26 million at a March 23 meeting.
All but one of the winning bidders participated in the town’s competitive bidding process.
Several bids received for equipment and machinery ran beyond what the town had budgeted, even when the lowest submitted bids were considered.
In each of those cases, staff recommended digging into the town’s equipment reserve.
(None of the totals summarized below include tax.)
Over-budget purchases
Ed Stewart’s Garage and Equipment Ltd. beat out other companies vying for a contract to supply the town with tractor worth $249,449.
That’s $103,551 lower than the highest bid of $353,000, but still over budget. Council approved a staff recommendation to pull $79,449 from the equipment reserve for the purchase.
Councillor Cathy Aylard questioned why the amount budgeted for the tractor was so far off.
Infrastructure director Nick Colluci blamed current market conditions, and noted all other bids received were higher.
The tractor will be used for roadside mowing, as a sweeper, and for blowing/moving snow in the winter.
Loadstar Trailers will supply a large equipment trailer for $39,687, including the value of a trade-in. Even so, the purchase still runs over budget.
Reserve withdrawal
Council has authorized a withdrawal of $9,687 from the town’s equipment reserve to fund the purchase. Loadstar’s bid is $9,512 less than the highest bid of $49,199.
Premier Equipment Ltd. was the sole bidder on a Kubota 4000 Series MX 5400 tractor to replace older equipment at Barbour Field.
Premier’s $116,004 bid is over budget by $66,004. Council approved a withdrawal from a reserve.
Part of the overage, Colucci explained, is because some equipment being purchased for aeration and grass cutting wasn’t included in the original budget.
The town is also purchasing a pickup truck from Barry Cullen Chevrolet for $60,773, which is over budget by $5,773.
The truck purchase was delayed after pandemic pricing returned a price tag approaching $100,000 and was sourced through the county’s purchasing program.
The overage will be taken from reserves to make the purchase.
“Do we have any money left in the equipment reserve?” councillor Jamie Cheyne remarked.
“[We] seem to have dug a little deep this week.”
Colucci said there was money left, without noting how much.
He also said old equipment would be sold and dollars from sales placed back into the equipment reserve.
Below-budget purchases
Premier Equipment Ltd. submitted the only bid for two John Deere 3039R sidewalk tractors for a total of $226,950 — below the $280,000 budgeted.
The tractors will replace a trackless sidewalk plow and a Kubota F3680 tractor, and be used in Erin and Hillsburgh.
“It would reduce the response time for sidewalk plowing in Erin,” Colucci noted.
Surface treatment work will be completed for $99,900 by MSO Construction, a division of Miller Paving.
The awarded bid is $52,100 less than the highest bid of $152,000.
The bid is also below than what the town budgeted, and Colluci said another road will likely be included in this year’s work with staff monitoring the work to ensure the budget isn’t surpassed.
Services and supplies
Robinson Haulage Inc. is being hired to apply and place maintenance gravel for $457,000.
The company has completed similar work for the town before, and its bid comes in $640,000 lower than the highest bid of $1.1 million.
For supply and delivery of winter sand, Mann 2018 Ltd. submitted a winning bid of $478,310 — $50,610 lower than the highest bid of $528,920.
Dust suppressant will be provided by Pollard Distribution Inc. at a cost of $290,265. The company has previously done similar work for the town, and provided a bid $75,752 lower than the highest bid of $366,017.
Diamond Earthworks Corp. will complete miscellaneous asphalt repairs for $246,541 and has done similar work before.
That bid is $306,584 lower than the highest bid of $553,125.
