01-24-2018 Council Packet - Laserfiche WebLink

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STAFF REPORT TO: Mayor Keis and Members of City Council FROM: Bill Dircks, Public Works Director DATE: January 19, 2018 RE: Purchase of Equipment Lifts One of the items that the City has budgeted for since the new Public Works building was built was portable equipment lifts. These lifts can be used for our large equipment such as the Vactor and dump trucks, as well as smaller equipment such as the Toolcats and Skid-steer. The lifts can be moved to any portion of the maintenance bay or even the vehicle storage area to be used. They are synched together and operate in unison to lift the desired piece of equipment. The vendor, Midwest Lift Works, from Jordan, MN dropped off a set of the lifts for staff to try out for the last couple of months. The brand that was tested is Stertil Koni. They are one of the major brands for these types of lifts and numerous other public agencies around the Twin Cities are using them. The biggest feature of the lifts is the safety and ergonomic assistance they provide. This allows staff to get virtually any piece of equipment up off of the ground to allow them to get underneath and perform work in a much more comfortable position that is better for their body long term. Midwest Lift Works offered us the set of lifts that staff has been testing at a $1,000 discount. The full package includes four lifts and a set of jack stands that allow for tire rotating and other work on wheels. The lifts are part of the state contract so the prices are locked in. The discount results in a cost of $33,514 for the whole kit. Staff had been budgeting $25,000 for the lifts with the thought that only two were necessary rather than all four, but after talking to the vendor and some other cities it was determined that four lifts would be necessary. The lifts are eligible for a grant from the League of Minnesota Cities so staff will follow up with the League to see if some funds can be recouped. Staff recommends authorizing the purchase of four Stertil Koni lifts and one set of jack stands for a price of $33,514.