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Park Forest Road Salt Prices To More Than Double For Upcoming Snow and Ice Season

Park Forest snow plow
A snow plow removes works the 211th Street Metra lot the morning of February 2, 2011. (Photo: Daniel Karwatka)

Park Forest, IL-(ENEWSPF)- The price of road salt per ton will more than double for the upcoming snow and ice season, according to an agenda item on the September 15 meeting of the Park Forest Village Board. The memo, prepared by Roderick Ysaguirre, Director of Public Works/Village Engineer, relays the chilling news:

The Village participates in and utilizes the State of Illinois Joint Purchase Requisition for road salt. Every year, certain salt purchase contracts are eligible for renewal, as others are up for re-solicitation. DPW renewed last year’s contract under the same unit price and terms and conditions. The price paid was $49.93/Ton. For the 2014-2015 season, the Village’s contract was not eligible for renewal thus solicitation was required.

Attached is the notice from the Illinois Department of Central Management Services that an offer to our salt bid was received. The Village’s supplier will be Morton Salt of Chicago at a unit price of $109.94/ton. Due to last season’s extreme winter and high salt usage by governmental agencies, salt supplies are low and area wide jurisdictions are seeking higher salt quantities to restock supply and prepare for an unknown winter. This supply related issue is believed to result in the higher unit cost to be paid by government agencies.

Last year’s salt usage was 2,448 tons (2048 + 400 stocked from previous season.) DPW requested 2623 tons of salt for the upcoming season. Under the terms and conditions of this contract, DPW must purchase a minimum of 80% of the requested amount (2098 tons), and can purchase a maximum of 20% over the requested amount (3148 tons). DPW currently has approximately 200 tons of road salt stock piled in the Public Works yard going into the upcoming season.

This purchase will be charged to the Motor Fuel Tax fund where $228,230 dollars has been budgeted for this material. At the time of budget preparation, DPW was unaware of what the Village’s unit price would be. Therefore, at the current bid unit price, the minimum purchase (2098 tons) will equal $230,654 dollars. This is $2,424 dollars over the budgeted amount. These charges, as well as any additional charges will be charged to MFT fund. All other expenses within this fund will be monitored to within overall MFT budget.

The item will be on the agenda September 15 for approval.

Gary Kopycinski is editor and publisher of eNews Park Forest and a village trustee in Park Forest. His reporting is his own. eNews Park Forest, Inc. is an independent media company and is not affiliated with the Village of Park Forest in any way.

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