#22 - Grapple Bucket Purchase - Laserfiche WebLink

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STAFF REPORT DATE: 1/2/2024 CONSENT ITEM #: TO: City Council FROM: Marty Powers, Public Works Director AGENDA ITEM: Grapple Purchase REVIEWED BY: Clarissa Hadler, Finance Director BACKGROUND: The City of Lake Elmo Public Works Department regularly removes downed trees after storms events, tree trimming projects and dead/diseased trees in city parks and roadways. To improve the safety and efficiency of large tree removal, a grapple that would quickly connect to our wheel loader is needed. Using a large grapple would reduce the number of staff needed on site to cut and drag trees and brush out of the ditches. With less manual labor around saws, traffic, and spring-loaded trees, we are also reducing the opportunity for injuries. The grapple would be utilized on the city’s John Deere loader that is outfitted with a quick-tach connection, making the switch between attachments quick after a storm event. Large trees would be loaded into our tandem dump trucks and hauled to a debris site. ISSUE BEFORE COUNCIL: Should the City Council approve the purchase of a grapple for our existing wheel loader to assist in removing large trees and tree debris as outlined in the 2024 Capital Improvement Plan? PROPOSAL DETAILS/ANALYSIS: Proceeding with this purchase will benefit the city and its citizens by clearing streets and tree debris quicker and safer. The improved efficiencies will allow emergency vehicles to access streets that are blocked off due to downed trees. This purchase will aid Public Works in its increasing demand for tree removal due to the continued growth of the city. Four quotes were requested, only two were received back. Public works is not recommending the least expensive option from MidWest Machinery Co, as their proposed unit was found to be inferior to the more robust unit sold by RDO Equipment. The RDO’s unit is much heavier duty and welded together instead of bolted. The RDO option also has the more desirable cut a way sides which allow more control of large trees in the bucket. FISCAL IMPACT: Purchase of the wheel loader Grapple shall not exceed the budgeted $26,000 in the 2024 CIP. OPTIONS: -Approve purchase Grapple Bucket as outlined in the 2024 CIP from RDO equipment -Deny purchase of grapple RECOMMENDATION: If removed from consent agenda….. “Motion to approve the purchase of the Grapple for an amount not to exceed $26,000 from RDO equipment”