To: Honorable Mayor and Members of Town Council
From: Norris W. Croom III, Deputy Chief, Fire and Rescue Department
Title
Resolution Approving a Purchase Agreement with Boise Mobile Equipment for One (1) Type 3 Brush Truck
Body
________________________________________________________________________________
Executive Summary
As part of the Crystal Valley Fire Station project, the department is purchasing a Type 3 brush truck from Boise Mobile Equipment. The department obtained a specification and quote for one (1) type 3 brush truck through the Houston Galveston Area Council cooperative purchasing group. The Crystal Valley project has sufficient funds allocated to purchase this vehicle, and since the cost is over $250,000.00, we are seeking Council approval to move forward with the purchase.
Notification and Outreach Efforts
None
History of Past Town Council, Boards & Commissions, or Other Discussions
Council has previously approved such purchases of fire department vehicles over $250,000.00.
Discussion
The department is purchasing a type 3 brush truck as part of the Crystal Valley Fire Station project as was previously discussed at the January 3rd Council meeting. Funds have been included in this project to purchase the brush truck, and this apparatus will be placed on the department’s standardized replacement schedule once it is received.
Brush trucks are used to fight wildland and urban interface fires within the town and district. There are two basic types of brush trucks, type 3 and type 6, that we use in the department, and each have a typical service life of fifteen years. Since we have a significant risk of wildland and urban interface fires, every one of our stations has a brush truck.
A type 6 brush truck is built on a pickup truck chassis, has a smaller water tank and hose complement, is more agile, and can operate either from a roadway or in the field. The department currently has three of these types of brush trucks located at Stations 151 (Downtown), 153 (Founders), and 154 (Meadows).
A type 3 brush truck, which is what this request is for, is a larger truck typically mounted on a commercial chassis, carries more water, hose, and tools, and can operate for a longer period of time due to the increased amount of water. This type of truck can operate from either a roadway or in the field, and it can also be used to provide structure protection as a supplement to a regular fire engine. The department currently has one of these types of trucks located at Station 155 (Sapphire Point).
The typical strategy in fighting a wildland fire is to use a combination of type 3 and type 6 brush trucks to maximize efficiency of the available water carried on these trucks while rapidly attacking the fire. If the wildland fire begins to involve structures, the type 3s can then be re-deployed to assist the fire engines in structure protection.
The department has received prior approval from both Finance and Fleet to ensure that all purchasing requirements were met through the Houston Galveston Area Council (HGAC) cooperative purchasing group. A specification and quote was obtained from Boise Mobile Equipment for a type 3 brush truck, and the department is ready to move forward with this purchase.
While already conceptually approved in the Crystal Valley Fire Station project, the department is seeking formal Council approval as the expenditure exceeds the $250,000.00 signing limit of the Town Manager.
Budget Impact
The current budgeted amount is $325,000.00 in the Crystal Valley Fire Station project. This amount includes not only the purchase of the truck, but all of the equipment for it as well.
The quote from Boise Mobile Equipment for just the truck is $285,150.00. As there is the possibility of change orders during the construction process, we are adding in five percent contingency, or $14,500.00, but all efforts will be made to not use the contingency funds. This puts the cost for truck at $299,650.00, which is within budget.
For the current budgeted amount, there is no additional impact to the 2017 budget. It is part of the Crystal Valley Fire Station project, which has been conceptually approved, and these funds will be transferred from the Fire Capital Fund to the Vehicle Replacement Fund.
Staff Recommendation
Staff recommends approval of the contract and expenditure of funds for a total cost of $299,650.00.
Proposed Motion
“I move to approve the motion as recommended.”
Attachments
Attachment A: Resolution
Exhibit 1: Agreement
Exhibit 2: Brush Truck Specifications