CITY COUNCIL AGENDA ITEM
ACTION REQUESTED:
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Approve the award of Cooperative Procurement 19-253, Roadway Salt, to Compass Minerals for an amount not to exceed $1,211,264
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DEPARTMENT: Department of Public Works
SUBMITTED BY: Richard Dublinski, Director
BOARD/COMMISSION REVIEW:
N/A
BACKGROUND:
The Department of Public Works (DPW) requires roadway salt for winter operations to maintain safe roadways. Over the past ten years, the City has used an average of 14,000 tons of salt per year. During the 2018/19 winter season, the City used approximately 14,300 tons of salt.
It has been the City's policy to have both salt domes substantially full at the beginning of the winter season so that at minimum, it is prepared for an average to moderately heavy winter season. This initial salt supply not only provides the City enough salt for application during a typical winter season but also eliminates the reliance on winter delivery which can often be delayed and more expensive. The ultimate capacity of the City's salt domes is 18,000 tons, and there is approximately 14,000 tons of salt currently available in the domes for this winter season.
The chart below shows the pricing received over the past ten years through the State of Illinois Joint Purchasing program.
Winter Season
Cost per Ton
2010/11
$67.71
2011/12
$57.27
2012/13
$51.91
2013/14
$52.46
2014/15
$52.46
2015/16
$62.35
2016/17
$44.08
2017/18
$44.77
2018/19
$44.77
2019/20
$94.63
Historically, the cost of salt has fluctuated following a harsh winter or when salt shortages have occurred throughout the Midwest, not just Illinois. There is currently a regional salt shortage due to the harsh winters in the region over the past couple of years. The majority of the stockpiles from salt companies were used or sold last winter. In addition, the two largest salt producers have either had strike issues (not producing any salt) or challenges in their mining operations (producing less than average salt) cou...
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