10/20/2008 Meeting Minutes - Laserfiche WebLink

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Regular Council Meeting 10-20-08 Page 8 NEW ?iJSI1?IESS -;' . Motion to authorize expenditure in the amount of $96,282.00 to Cargill Deicing for rock salt purchase during winter 2008-2009 (1800 tons of bulk rock salt at $53.49 per ton). Dr. Parker, seconded by Mr. Marrie, made a motion to authorize expenditure in the amount of $96,282.00 to Cargill Deicing for rock salt purchase during winter 2008-2009 (1800 tons of bulk rock salt at $53.49 per ton). Council President Buckholtz asked if there was any discussion. With regard to the fact that the rock salt is going to be in short supply, Mr. Marquardt asked if we have any contingency. Mr. Metzung replied that this is about 2/3 of our typical usage. He does not anticipate trouble. We are continuing to investigate using other additives to mix with it. Mayor Rinker added that the Service Director's organization for Cuyahoga County were able to negotiate this deal. Policies for a mutual agreement for salting are being prepared. Mr. Metzung added they prepared a draft this morning. They are presenting it to the Mayors and Managers at the end of the month. Originally they attempted to set up a program to allow them to reduce their salt usage by 20%. They have since upped it to 30% because the State is looking to reduce. They will follow their guidelines. They wi11 finalize guidelines to be followed for this winter. It is called sensible salting. It is less salting. They will cut back on the use of salt in sidestreets and concentrate more on curbs and intersections and hills; things of that nature. We won't be salting at night, the proposal being from 11:00-4:00. The idea there is when you try to keep your roads wet at night, to be salting then is the most ineffective time to do it. You use more salt for less people. The salt does not work as well because there is no traffic. They are proposing not to salt during those hours. It will be more of what we are typically seeing that we conserve so we do not run out of salt. That is what you are going to see this year from the very beginning of the year with the first snowstorm. Mayor Rinker said the point is well made for having a contingency. It is his understanding that we don't have that luxury and we are not alone. A lot of communities are doing that. Mayor Rinker asked that assuming the point that Mayors and Managers is going to adopt this, he wants to choreograph sending out a flyer to the residents. No matter how much we advertise or talk about it, we know the feedback we are going to get. Just running our driveway program, we know that people are not going to be real happy about it. Mayor Rinker reminded everyone on Council that this is one where we don't have a whole lot of alternatives. We try to be as constructive and proactive as we can be and try to reinforce the positives. It definitely is going to be a change from what we have been used to. It is a sign of the future direction that the State is going in to. It is not like we are all alone in this.