Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Municipal Services & Operations

TO:	Tom Markus, City Manager
CC:	Mike Lawless, Deputy Director
FROM:	Bob Bower, General Manager FOI
DATE:	March 19, 2019
RE:	2018/2019 SNOW EVENTS – SALT INVENTORY SUMMARY REPORT

Background

Municipal Services and Operations responded to 11 Snow Events during the 2018-2019 winter season. The first snow event occurred on 11/08/2018 and the last snow event response was on 03/03/2019. Below is the salt usage and the remaining inventory as of 03/08/2019.

Starting Inventory:                         12,800 tons

Salt used YTD:                                    8,433 tons

Current Salt in Inventory:               4,367 tons        

Salt (tons) Use Breakdown:

Straight Salt used for Ice:               4,899 (tons)

Salt to make Brine:                              102 (tons)

Salt used for Salt/Sand mix:           3,432 (tons)

Total Cost for Salt: $395,086 (2018 price/$46.85 per ton)

2018/2019 Snow Events Outcome Assessment:

· Responded to more snow events than previous years

· Proactive approach to tracking inventory and cost

· Planning for future salt inventory maximum on-hand to start a winter season, 10,000 tons and a minimum on hand inventory of 5,000 tons.

· Douglas County will go out for bid for salt in April/May 2019. Municipal Services and Operations along with 8 townships and other cities will ride the salt bid.

· In talking with the 2018 salt vendor, bids are expected to be higher in 2019.

· The price of salt is expected to rise $5.00 per ton, which would make the 2019 price approximately $51.85 per ton.

·  With the 2019 budget amount of $240,000, Municipal Service and Operations would be capable of purchasing 4,628 tons of salt at the estimated 2019 salt cost per ton.

· If no other snow events occur this 2018/2019 winter, Municipal Services and Operations will have 8,995 tons on hand to start the 2019/2020 winter season. This amount includes the 2019 purchase plus the current on-hand inventory.

· The salt bid price is valid from the day of the bid selection until February 1^st of the following year.  Municipal Services and Operations may purchase salt in January of the new year to take advantage of the bid contract at lower pricing.

· The department uses a Salt/Sand mixture in conjunction with other methods. The mixture is 48% salt and 52% sand. The sand is an abrasive used to improve vehicle traction on snow and ice covered roads. The mix can be used at all temperatures and is valuable when it is too cold for deicers to work. The salt/sand mix is also used in locations such as curves, intersections, railroad crossings and hills. Salt is more than twice the cost of sand.