How to resolve AdBlock issue? CLEARLAKE, Calif. – The Clearlake City Council voted on Thursday night to buy several new pieces of equipment to bolster its road repair and building program.
Four of the pieces of equipment – an asphalt recycler, asphalt hot box, asphalt crack sealer and vactor trailer – are expected to total approximately $283,821.40, with the council adding some additional funds to purchase a fifth piece of equipment, an infrared pavement heater.
The funds for the purchases will come from the city’s Measure V one-cent sales tax, which is giving the city about $2 million annually for road work, according to City Manager Greg Folsom. The equipment is anticipated to save the city employee time and money.
The it begins at 1:32:14 in the video above.
Folsom took the proposed purchases to the council. “I’m very excited about it,” he said of the equipment.
Folsom explained that the city uses “cold patch” asphalt repair for patching potholes. The problem is that it only lasts a couple of weeks, less if the weather is bad. As a result, it’s not very cost-effective or a good use of staff time.
Because there isn’t an asphalt factory closer than an hour and a half away, Folsom said city road crews can’t haul in hot asphalt before it gets cold.
A few weeks ago, city staff, as well as council members Dirk Slooten and Russ Cremer, saw a demo of the equipment, Folsom said.
Folsom said the asphalt recycler takes scrap asphalt – such as the 20,000 yards of asphalt grindings the city already has, as well as the scrap asphalt it has a contract to get from future roadwork projects – and adds an emulsifier, puts it in the recycler and creates brand new, hot asphalt.
That asphalt is then put in a hot box, which keeps it hot all day. “This hot asphalt is going to make a much better patch. It’s going to last much longer,” possibly for several years, Folsom said.
The asphalt crack sealer is a very high pressure air nozzle that cleans out the cracks in asphalt. A substance which Folsom described as a polymer asphalt is used to seal the cracks in the road.
When cracks develop in roads, moisture gets in and can deteriorate the surface. Folsom said sealing the asphalt helps get more life out of the roads.
The vactor trailer uses high pressure water to clean out inlets, creating mud that it can then be sucked out with a high suction tool. He said it saves employees from having to dig out inlets.
Folsom also asked the council to waive the competitive bidding process, explaining that they couldn’t get three bids for each piece of equipment.
“This is not a commodity. These are specialized types of products,” he said, explaining that staff researched them and found what they believed fit the bill best.
Cremer brought up an infrared pavement heater that had been mentioned at the demo. That wasn’t part of the proposed equipment purchase as initially put forward at the meeting Thursday.
Public Works Superintendent Mike Baker, who put the quotes for the equipment together, said the infrared pavement heater was priced at under $20,000. Cremer said he wanted it added to the purchase.
Slooten asked if the city can lease the equipment. Assistant City Manager Alan Flora said there is a government lease program but staff felt the best way forward was to purchase the equipment. That answer satisfied Slooten.
Flora added that he recalled the infrared unit being priced at about $10,000.
“I think this is going to be a real solution,” said Councilman Phil Harris.
Harris asked about the equipment emissions. Baker said all of the pieces of the equipment are tier four diesel engines, which have the strictest Environmental Protection Agency emissions standards for off-highway diesel engines.
Slooten moved to authorize Folsom signing the purchase order for the equipment, with authorization for up to an additional 10 percent to cover the infrared unit, and waiving of the competitive bidding. Cremer seconded and the council approved the motion unanimously.
“Thank you, council, we’re all very excited about this,” said Folsom, leading a round of applause.
“You’ve got all the tools, all the goodies,” said Slooten.
Baker said the city has a great crew. “We are going to get out there and we are going to take care of business and make you guys proud,” he told the council.
Then, turning to the audience, and referring to the larger Clearlake community, Baker said, “We’re going to be doing this for all of you guys as well.”
Also on Thursday, the council presented a proclamation honoring the Lower Lake High School Cheerleading Team for its win last week at the JAMZ nationwide competition, honored Neickol Cook for her efforts at city cleanup, heard the annual Clear Lake Chamber report and received an update on Adventist Health’s Safe Rx and Leave It Behind Program.
The council also approved assessments totaling $52,327 for five CalRecycle-funded abatements, heard a presentation from the Lake Economic Development Corp. on the Path to Prosperity Economic Strategy and expressed initial support for a $10,000 contribution to the organization in the coming fiscal year.
Following an extended discussion, council members also expressed interest in working with another organization – should one come forward – through a memorandum of understanding for the future use for the homeless of a shower trailer that is being donated to the city by the Lake Area Rotary Club.
The trailer was purchased with funds that were donated to make the city’s senior and community center an evacuation center. The majority of the council members only supported using it for the homeless under strict guidelines to be established under an agreement.
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