Council OKs purchase of truck, Zamboni

WILLMAR - The Willmar City Council voted this week to buy a new pickup truck for the Public Works Department.
The council will replace a 2001 Ford F250 pickup that has mechanical problems with a 2014 F150 pickup for $27,837.70 from Nelson Auto Center Fleet Department in Fergus Falls, along with a Tommy Lift Gate for $2,560 from Towmaster of Litchfield.
Councilman Steve Ahmann asked if replacement vehicles can be purchased from local dealers.
Public Works Director Sean Christensen said the Fergus Falls dealer is part of a multi-state cooperative, of which Willmar is a member, that obtains the lowest new vehicle bids.
“We don’t have to go through the bid process,’’ he said. “We pick a vehicle from that list and knowing that the co-op in this case has gone through that entire process.’’
City Administrator Charlene Stevens said the city can certainly take the lowest local responsible bid.
“The efficiency here is the state has already done that and received the bid and saves time in some process,’’ Stevens said. “It certainly can be bid individually and not be purchased through the cooperative.’’
Also, the council voted to enter into a contract to buy a new Zamboni ice resurfacer machine in 2014 with the understanding that the city will not receive the machine until 2015 and amended the 2014 vehicle replacement program budget to include this purchase.
Steve Brisendine, community education and recreation director, said the 1994 Zamboni to be replaced has mechanical problems and would need a $25,000-$30,000 rebuild, but there would be no guarantee that a warranty would have with a new Zamboni.