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Chardon pays double for road-salt supply
(by Joseph Koziol Jr. - October 29, 2008)
Chardon pays double for road-salt supply
By JOSEPH KOZIOL JR.
Chardon City Council agreed last week to add some insurance for this winter by agreeing to purchase more road salt at almost double the price it paid earlier. Council voted unanimously to spend another $125,000 for 1,000 additional tons of salt to ensure that the city's needs are met.
The cost for the additional salt through the Northeast Ohio Sourcing Office, a consortium of governmental bodies, breaks down to $125 a ton, nearly double the $65 per ton paid earlier in a contract with Morton Salt.
City Manager David Lelko told council that, while the city is under contract with Morton Salt for 3,500 tons of salt, there are no guarantees on when it all would arrive use. He said it could trickle in whenever it becomes available from Morton Salt.
While the city typically uses approximately 3,000 tons of salt a year, last year it used 4,700 tons, he said. Ice storms generally cause the city to use more salt than snowstorms, he said.
In the past, the city has been able to call its supplier and have delivery in a matter of days, Mr. Lelko said. But the city is now being told that it could expect waits of four to six weeks for what could only be partial deliveries, he said.
Chardon now has about 300 to 350 tons of salt in its bins, he said.
"Knowing the situation we're in, I don't have confidence we're going to have salt when we need it this winter -- to start the winter or throughout the winter," Mr. Lelko said.
He said the Chardon School District plans to purchase about 200 tons of the 1,000 tons being sought at the higher price. He said the school district always purchases its salt through the city and was told that none would be forthcoming this year unless a supply is secured.
Mr. Lelko said the purchase with Northeast Ohio Sourcing will not be made unless the company can guarantee delivery within a couple weeks.
He said the additional supply will "better guarantee" that the city will be able to maintain its snow-clearing service as it has in the past.
Yet to be discussed, he said, is whether the salt should be mixed with other materials, such as sand or cinders, to stretch the supply.
The city also is planning to use its former service garage to store the salt. That will enable it to stockpile some for next winter season if the salt purchased this year is unused.
Councilman Jefferey Campbell Jr. said, while he wants to provide as safe an environment as possible, he is concerned about the cost.
Mr. Lelko said the city needs to consider the salt a top priority and work its budget around the purchase. "We have to work everything else around this and make it happen," he said.
Finance Director Jeffrey Smock said the city has about $1 million in unappropriated funds in the general fund and can use that money for the purchase. An additional $85,000 will be spent for the initial delivery of salt from Morton Salt, he said.
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