With the Town of Stettler’s dual hydro-vac and flush truck getting older and requiring more and more downtime, the 2022 capital budget included $600,000 for the purchase of a new one. The expenditure was authorized in the Nov. 1 council meeting.
According to chief administrative officer Greg Switenky, the current unit in the Town of Stettler’s fleet spent around 16 weeks out of a 28-week work season down for repairs, something he attributes to the complexities of having a dual unit.
For that reason, when preparing the budget administration decided to just purchase a single use hydro-vac, and budget for a tow-behind flushing unit separately.
Request for proposals (RFPs) were sent out, as required under the Municipal Government Act, on the Alberta Purchasing Connection website and four tenders were received.
Two of the four tenders submitted did not meet specifications; the other two were from Rival Hydrovac, for just under $640,000, and Industrial Machine Inc., for just over $813,000.
Council approved the Rival Hydrovac unit, which according to Switenky is actually built by Foremost in Stettler, so there is a local component.
Due to ongoing price fluctuations in everything, the request for council decision (RCD) notes that any extended warranty for the equipment will be looked at at the time of deliver. Delivery is currently expected to be in April 2023.
Flushing unit
Approved in the 2022 capital budget was $200,000 for the purchase of a trailer mounted sewer flushing unit.
Due to the cost, the RFP was also published on Alberta Purchasing Connection, and three submissions were received, one of which did not meet specifications.
Administration recommended the purchase of a Sewer Equipment Co. unit from Superior North America Inc. for the price of just over $163,000.
In addition, options were added including a wireless remote and a three-year extended-warranty for a total cost of just under $178,500.
It’s noted in the RCD that the equipment is the same as a contractor used by Public Works with great success when the town’s dual unit has been down for repairs.
Backhoe purchase
Town of Stettler council authorized an accelerated purchase during the Nov. 1 meeting.
With the theft of the town’s Case Backhoe in August, once receiving the approval from insurance, administration approached council for permission to purchase the replacement.
The original unit had originally been scheduled for replacement in the 2023 capital budget.
Four tenders were received for the new backhoe, including the low bid of $229,838 received by Rocky Mountain Equipment, a Case dealer.
According to the RCD, the other machines were not evaluated as the previous machine had been a Case and while the old machine had been stolen, the town still retained all the old equipment which would fit on the new machine thereby cutting costs.
The total purchase price for the machine is just short of $254,000, which insurance is paying around $141,000 of and the remaining $113,000 is to come out of the 2023 capital budget.