HomeMy WebLinkAboutCSD-08-037 - Winter Maintenance Contractor CostsREPORT
Report To: Mayor Zehr and Members of Council
Date of Meeting: April 21, 2008
Submitted By: Jim Witmer, Director of Operations
Prepared By: Jim Witmer, Director of Operations
Ward(s~ Involved: All
Date of Report: April 14, 2008
Report No.: CSD-08-037
Subject: WINTER MAINTENANCE CONTRACTOR COSTS
RECOMMENDATION:
That Council authorize payment to the listed companies for the following expenditures
related to winter ice and snow maintenance:
Contractors Dispatch - $96,761.25
Sousa Concrete - $17,374.90
Moorefield Excavating - $12,600.00
REPORT:
Council is quite aware this has been a challenging year for the Operations Division as it relates
to the winter maintenance activity. During this winter we were required to bring in rental tri-axles
for hauling snow, snow blowers for clearing cul-de-sacs and rental graders for scarifying icy
streets. While this may have been required at some point in the past, we have not had to do any
of this in the past 5 years. As a result, we did not anticipate this and the necessary tendering
and procurement processes were not followed.
Throughout much of the winter when we were dealing with storms we were also running Hours
of Service (HOS) exemptions in order to get the work completed. Contractors were needed to
supplement our resources which simply couldn't keep up even with the exemptions. To run our
staff longer than what we were would have been irresponsible and potentially hazardous. To
leave the conditions unaddressed would also be irresponsible and potentially hazardous.
Rental tri-axles where hired from Contractors Dispatch as opposed to hiring individual trucking
companies. These trucks hauled snow during our snow loading activity. We had such large
accumulations of snow that we had to use 2 snow loading crews as opposed to the 1 crew
which is the norm. We ran one crew to the snow melter and the other to the snow dump. Rental
trucks were required to remove as much snow as possible in as short a period as possible to
address hazards on our road system such as reduced sight lines at intersections, reduced lane
widths and the inability for opposing vehicles to pass safely. Also, to address insufficient corner
radii such that emergency vehicles, GRT and large trucks were having difficulty.
Report No: CSD-08-037 2
Snow blowers were brought in specifically to blow back cul-de-sacs after a large snow fall in
early March. Snow accumulations at the side of the cul-de-sacs had narrowed the roads to the
point where trucks where having a difficult time getting thru the reduced roadway width, let
alone attempting to do a reasonable job clearing the road. Blowers went through every cul-de-
sac and cleared them curb to curb, very successfully.
Graders were required to address and remove frozen ruts caused from rain or mild
temperatures affecting the snowpack left on residential streets where we use no salt to achieve
bare pavement. The sheer amount of streets in this condition did not allow us to be proactive as
we would have been required to accurately forecast weather conditions 8 days in advance to
clear all streets of snowpack before a hard freeze with our current resources.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
The above cost will be included in the winter maintenance budget for 2008.
CONCLUSION:
The payment of the contractors identified above will complete the outstanding works associated
with the winter maintenance program other than internal staff and equipment charges. Staff
have begun making the necessary arrangements to ensure the required tendering process and
Council approvals has been completed well in advance of the upcoming winter season.
Jim Witmer
Director of Operations