the committee. Good evening everyone. Welcome to the only meeting in the month of August. The Finance Committee is now open for business for August 19, 2024. May I have a motion for the acceptance of the minutes for the committee meeting held on June 3rd? Oh, favorable action. Second. Thank you. May I have a motion for the committee meeting held on June 17th for favourable action? Second. All those in favour? Aye. Back to the first one. Sorry. June 3rd. All those in favour? Aye. Thank you. May I have a motion for acceptance of the minutes for the committee meeting held on July 15th, 2024? Move favourable. Second. All inable. Second. All in favour? Aye. Thank you. First is PCR 73-24. May I have a motion for the acceptance of the minutes from the committee meeting held on June 3rd, 2024? Second. All in favour? Aye. May I have a motion for acceptance of the minutes for the committee meeting held on June 17th, 2024. Move favour? Second. All in favour? I may have a motion for acceptance of the minutes committee meeting held on July 15th, 2024. Move favour? Second. All in favour? I. Thank in favor. All right. Thank you all. Moving on to PCR 73-24 which is the bid docket. The first is item is bid 2024-385 street improvements. Director, please identify at the microphone. Thank you. the Public Works is here to request permission to increase PCR 2624 sub A from 4 million to 8 million. This is the street improvements. We have a good amount of paving going on now. We've received a significant amount of reimbursements already. We anticipate more reimbursements, so we just want to create the spending authority to continue to pay as the money is available. Thank you, Director. So of the increase, that's mostly of the money that from reimbursement. So we're authorizing you to spend the money, the city already obtained and reimbursement. That's correct. And money that we anticipate getting a reimbursement. Thank you. Any questions from members of the committee? Councilman Gebhardt. No, no, sorry. Thank you. Any questions from members of the council? Councilman Latisaur. Thank you, Chairman. Hi, Director. Levy. You just answered the Chairman's question and you said that you anticipate getting those reimbursements. Now, I assume that I'm Interpreting the breakdowns accordingly the 1.7 is upper money The 2 million is DOT and the 300 is Rinalin and G is that correct? Where are you getting those numbers? It's on your position paper, data July 18th. Oh, yeah. Yep. So I have those correct. Yes, I do so. And so you make me question whether or not those are guaranteed, because you said you anticipate, this is if is there an episode or something that could come up that would stop you from getting any of those three reimbursements? No when I say we anticipate getting reimbursement we are paving roads that Rhode Island energy is obligated to restore. And so our calculation is based on the length and the width of those roads. But the reimbursement is guaranteed. We just don't, I don't have the exact numbers yet because there are so many variables. But yeah, when we do a Rhode Island Energy Road, those reimbursements are guaranteed. And in the past several years, have you had any problems getting reimbursed? No, actually Rhode Island energy has been very responsive with their reimbursements. How about DOT? DOT we don't have as much experience with, but so far the communication has been very good and we haven't had an issue with reimbursements. Okay. Thank you. Thank you, Councilman. Are there any further questions from members of the council? Are there any questions from members of the public? Any questions from the public? Thank you, Director. Next is bid 2020 5 0 666, work fire department fire apparatus 1500GPM, Pumper. This is found on page five. Good evening, Chief. Good evening, Peter Mick Michael, fire chief. The work fire departments are questioning to award bid 2025 066 fire apparatus for 1,500 gallon per minute, 750 gallon bumper to Greenwood emergency vehicles of North Alabama, Massachusetts. Greenwood emergency vehicles met all specifications as outlined in the bid. The fire department is requesting spending authority for a one time purchase in the amount of $824,507. The fire department did apply for and received a diesel emission reduction act grant from Rhode Island DEM in the amount of $188,044. Reimbursement of this amount can be requested after the city takes delivery of the vehicle and decommissions a non-compliant vehicle. The remainder of the funding of the vehicles will be from the city's least purchase fund account 2533 and that'll be in the amount of 636,463. Thank you, Chief. What makes this vehicle qualify for the Diesel Emission Reduction Act? So the vehicle that we currently have is the one that would have to qualify, that it did not meet the emissions standards set forth by the government. And so this is a incentive program to take those vehicles off the road and replacing them with newer energy efficient vehicles So the new vehicle that we are purchasing will qualify under that meeting those specifications and the vehicle will be taking off the road Is We're replacing the bad with the good if you will how old is the vehicle? The how old is the vehicle that you're taking off the road, please? It is 22 years old. Okay, so this new vehicle isn't necessarily a hybrid vehicle. It's a cleaner emissions modern engine vehicle. That's right. Exactly. Okay, thank you. Good information. Any questions from members of the committee councilman Gebhard? I think thanks chief Just looking at the capital budget. It looks like we had reserved 810,000 For the purchase of this vehicle in the 25 budget looks like with the 188k in relief will be well under that. Are you anticipating that we're going to go after something else with the essentially grant savings or that just decrease the overall amount that will hit that lease purchase program for in 2025. That'll decrease the overall amount but in the next item that comes up before you you'll see that we're slightly in the opposite with the rescue of the ambulance where we allocated and I don't want to get too much into that now because that's up next. Understood. Yeah, I mean, even the pumper is slightly over what the budget have been. So, okay, great. Thank you. Thank you. Council President Macalister. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Good evening, Chief. Good evening. Chief, can you just talk about the lead time that we need to do to order these trucks and how long it takes to get built and gets delivered? Absolutely. So in the position paper, I believe we did list the lead time on this vehicle. It's 34 months. Yes, there we go. Thank you. 34 months after the sign contract. So this is pretty much the standard across the industry that we encounter now, whether or ordering pumpers, ladder trucks, or rescues. We're finding that we're still faced with unprecedented wait times. Where at one time there used to be a penalty clause associated with the vehicle, where if the dealer did not deliver it within that promised time, they paid a penalty, none of the dealers will no longer offer that penalty clause because they don't want to be held to the stringent standards where oftentimes it's outside of their control. Especially when it comes to ambulances where the manufacturer of the rescue might be waiting on Ford or Dodge to come along with the cabin chassis and they have no control over that. So that's one thing that we've encountered is that we no longer see the penalty clauses that we once were expected in routine and fire pressing history that no longer exists today. Yeah, I think it's important to point out that this long lead time, I believe we purchased a truck last year in one of the summer meetings and we have any received that trust. Yeah, that's right. So it's putting us in a hard position is having, it's causing us to have to plan for not just the next year coming, but two and three years down the road. Yeah, thank you. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Mr. Chairman. Thank you, Mr. President. Any further questions from members of the Council? Councilman Ladisaur. Hi, Chief. Hello. So Chief, this delivery time, lead time, 34 months, as you may recall, we've recently had an issue where we had approved the vehicle and then all of a sudden this May recall we've recently had an issue where we had Approved the vehicle and then all of a sudden there's no vehicle available Just disappeared off the face of the earth and we ended up spending several thousand dollars more Is the price locked in for this vehicle that you anticipate receiving in 34 months. Yes it is councilor. And you have that in writing. Yes we will. Okay. And the vehicle you had indicated to the chairman that you were discontinuing is 22 years old so that means at the time of delivery, this vehicle will be approximately 25 years old. Or you decommissioning that sooner. Your numbers are correct. That's about how old it will be at that time. And this vehicle will be decommissioning. It has a lot of structural issues to it as well. So whether or not it makes it to that time when the new vehicle comes in, all we have to take it off the road earlier will be, will remain to be seen, whether or not we have to use a reserve truck in the meantime until the new one comes in as a possibility, but it's facing some structural issues where it's approaching its end of life. And what's the identification of this vehicle? What is it? Which truck is it, or a ladder, or an engine, or what? Which one is it? So this one that we're going out to bid for right now? No, no. No one that you're going to take out of service. That'd be engine two. Engine two? Yes. OK. And where will the new truck grow? So the new truck we have two other trucks on order as well. So in the plan is to replace One of those trucks engine two one of those trucks of been for engine two, and then this one most likely will be for one of two other locations. We have not made a final determination yet. We have, it could be engine three, it could be engine 10. We have several trucks that are of the same age that will be in need of replacement at that time. And I see where you receive the DM grant of $188,000, $44. When did you receive that grant? When did you receive knowledge of being awarded that grant? It was within the past, I want to say roughly six months ago, Councilman. I don't have the exact I can't recall the exact date I can certainly get that to you, but it was certainly prior to the city council approving the new budget, right? Don't recall for six months ago. It was May so it was May that we received it so it was So I'm curious that You knew you had a hundred and eighty eight thousand dollar grant coming What prompted you to put in the capital budget 810,000? That was our best estimate for what the cost of a Pumper would be at the time we put it in of course We can see from these numbers that the cost of a pump would be at the time we put it in. Of course, we can see from these numbers that the cost of the pump is actually slightly higher, but we still have to pay up front for the pump and then the grant will reimburse us. But the truck does not cross and you 810,000, right? It's crossing you 636,000. No, the truck is costing 824,507 dollars. I'm sorry, after you receive the grant. Yes, but we'll still have to pay that amount to the manufacturer and then receive the deregrant money that'll offset that for the city funds. So to Councilman Geppert's point, that will offset that for the city funds. So it's a consummate get parts point. Has it been determined where that $188,000 is going to be reappropriated? Because you got 810 in the capital budget. No, that would that would that has not been determined that would be up to the so we don't know where that 180 is going budget. No, that would, that would, that has not been determined. That would be up to the. So we don't know where that 180 years going yet. No. What's going towards the course of the truck, but as far as the extra funds that the city has available to it in this least purchase will be available. That would, that would be up to the administration of the city. And. the city. And in this position paper, let me back up on this. This reimbursement of 188,000, that takes place only after we've received a new vehicle. Yes. So that's what we're going to do. the new vehicle. Yes. So that hundred and eighty eight thousand is going to be felt in the twenty twenty eight budget. If we don't get it till twenty twenty eight, I would assume it can't be impacted on any budget before that. 2027 budget. 2027? But we're incurring fiscal year 2025. Now, three years from now, I'll be fiscal year 2028. I'm the top of my mic. Councilman, your Mike is now going to have sponsor I just . So again that 188, that's a number that will impact the budget 27, 28, somewhere there about not now. And I'm going back in the position paper, it says, reimbursing of this amount can be requested after the city takes delivery of this vehicle. So this request that's made after three years down the road, what is the mechanism that the fire department is gonna have in place, or perhaps it's purchasing, I guess, may have to deal with that to make sure that's flagged, so that request is made. Because it says that a month can be requested. So somebody's going to ask for it, right? Three years from now. Yes, that would be us, that would be the file department. That would be the file department. And it says in here that all agreements and requirements to this grant have been met Yes, that would be us. That would be a fine apartment. That would be a fine apartment. It's a fine apartment. And it says in here that all agreements and requirements to this grant have been met in Rhode Island. DEM has authorized the purchase and reimbursement of this vehicle. So this reimbursement is guaranteed by DEM. We don't have to sit here and worry about, are we going to get it? Is someone going to make the request, the request that we made and we guarantee the money once you make the request. That's right. Okay. And you've got that guarantee for that reimbursement and writing from right. We do. Yes. I'm sorry. No, right. Yeah. There are no other issue. But um, DEM. Yes. Okay. All right. Thank you, Chairman. That's it. Thank you, Chief. Thank you, Councilman. Are there any questions from members of the council? Any questions from members of the public? Thank you, Chief. Next will be bid 2020-5-065, Fire Apparatus Type 1 Ambulance Chief. Peter McMichael, Fire Chief. The War of Fire Apparatus has reviewed bid 2025-065. the Department of Public Health and Public Health and Public Health and Public Health and Public Health and Public Health and Public Health and Public Health and Public Health and Public Health and Public Health and Public Health and Public Health and four by four type one ambulance with striker power loading cart and lettering to match department fleet and delivery This vehicle being completed no more than one no more than 840 days After assigned contract funding will be from the cities least purchase account 2533 not to exceed 411,447 dollars Thank you chief So this is this is and $11,447. Thank you, Chief. So this is, so I see that it's a 2026. Obviously, the 2026 models aren't out yet. So what you're doing is exactly what the previous conversation existed is you're anticipating with 840 days out that you're going to want the 2026 model rescue. And you already have the standards of what you're going to want the 2026 model rescue and you already have the standards of what you're looking for in the rescue to meet that. So you'll give them the order and then they know that come 2026 that they have one already reserved for the work fire department. Yes, that's correct. And by the time this fire and this is a question I didn't send you so I do apologize about I know I you know me I usually like getting the questions out there beforehand. By the time that what is the rescue that you'd be looking to replace so that we keep our fleet with the number of rescues we have on the street now. And this one coming in in 2026, which rescue would you be looking to replace? And if you don't mind, just off the top of your head, the year or in the approximate miles it may have. So this one will probably replace rescue too, which right now I can give you the mileage. 148,674. This is a 2021 model that currently has 140, 8,000 miles on it. A 2021 model? Yes. Thank you, yeah. So it'll be a six year old vehicle, which is about the least purchase. That's usually about the life of this least purchase program where we're not paying up front. That's right. We're paying over time with the understanding that we're leasing it, selling it, or giving it back, if you will. And then we bring in a new vehicle. Right. Well, I can tell you as someone, God bless you. I can tell you as someone whose, my wife for 20 years have worked, has worked third shift at the emergency room. And there's one thing she always tells me is they're rolling up nonstop. So if that's third shift, you can imagine what first and second are like. So not surprisingly here, the 2021 vehicles got 140,000. And I'm really, I commend you. And I didn't also didn't tell you this. I commend you for being ahead of the game and looking out for the department. But more importantly, the citizens, as importantly, I should say, the citizens of the city to make sure that there was some apparatus there to serve them to take care of the emergency services. Thank you. So, Concudos to you in your department. Questions for members or comments for members of this committee? Questions for members of the council. Councilman Latisal. Thank you, Chairman. So, Chief, with this new vehicle assuming it's approved, will that increase the total amount of rescues that we have? Yes, it's going to allow us to, it'll allow us to increase our fleet of reserve rescues. Right now, we only have two reserves. Ideally, we'd like to have a couple of more. So this will help us get there. So when this truck, the truck that we are coming before you tonight for, when that truck comes in, the truck that it's replacing will keep that truck in a reserve status. before when that truck comes in, the truck that it's replacing will keep that truck in reserve status. And define reserve status. So reserve status allows us to have vehicles available to use when the front line vehicle is down. The front line vehicle could be down for a variety of reasons, but the most common is repairs. It goes into DPW for repairs. It could be because of a breakdown or it could just be preventive maintenance, oil changes, things of that nature. So when a truck goes down, it allows our crews to switch over to a reserve truck and stay in service to be able to respond to calls while their main truck is down for repairs or preventive maintenance, whatever the case may be. So by adding on this new rescue, that does not increase minimum manning or staffing or anything like that. That's correct. No sir in your position paper It also states First of all, I want to clarify. I heard something about a 2025 vehicle But this is got 2026 that you're getting right that yes 2026, okay You state that funding of the vehicle in cost overage above the capital budget requested. We'll be from city lease purchases. What does that mean? Funding of the vehicle in cost overage. What's cost overage? So this vehicle is 411, 477, 411, 477 dollars. In the capital budget, we had requested a slightly less amount of $405,000. So that $405,000 was our best guesstimate based on the price increases we were seeing. We felt that was a safe number. We were slightly off as you can see it came back at 4.11 instead of 4.05. Okay. We were close but we were still slightly off. And so that's that's what we meant by the cost overage. All right. I just wanted to get that clarified. It's not cost overage on the 4.11. it's the cost overage on the 405. That's good. Okay. In, at least in my binder, what I have is a document that shows Bulldog Fire Apparatus and Greenwood Muncie. And that's it. There's no other documents. And the bid document for Bulldog fire apparatus and I understand that their numbers significantly higher but it's still doesn't change the fact that we've got a document here that doesn't provide us with any warranty information from that particular vendor. On Greenwood emergency services, they do. So why weren't we provided with the warranty information on Bulldog Fire Apparatus? Did you submit that information or did you receive it? First of all, did you receive the warranty information? I believe Bulldog Fire Apparatus submitted all the required documentation. They were supposed to submit along with the bid. As far as the warranty information, I don't know if that would get sent out from purchasing or not. Can't hear her. If I may and I'm going to do this very structured and organized I now have the microphone if I could ask Ms. Gohms to please approach the microphone. I saw the chief chief if you could ask on the record What the question you just asked I was I was just requiring us or whether or not that information for Would normally be sent out in the bid package for in that information being from the bidders that did not get awarded the bid. Thank you and please identify and then answer the question. Frances Gomez purchasing director. The department sends out the specifications and there was a criteria base where they check off yesterday. And then there is a pricing sheet. The council that requests the bid's habulations for advertised bids only receive the pricing sheet, the council that requests the bid tabulations for advertised bids only received the pricing sheet. Everything else that was required is in the bid submission from each vendor. And whether the warranty was written on the pricing sheet or mentioned somewhere else in the submission, that would be looked into. But what we provide for those who want bid tabulation of bad advertised bids is only the pricing sheet. Thank you. for those who want bid tabulation of bad advertised bids is only the pricing sheet. So there might be a warranty from the other vendor, but it wasn't shown on the pricing sheet specifically, but it might have been in their submission where the criteria base questions were asked. Thank you, Director. Councilman Ladisaur. Thank you. So the point that I'm making is, you know, obviously there's somewhere around a $58,000 difference between these two vehicles. But there's always a possibility that the warranty from one company over another might justify a price difference, particularly with this type of vehicle and this type of an expense. But to me it would make sense that we're provided, we're the city council, that we are provided with all the information that pertains to something that we are either going to approve or disapprove. And warranty is a very important part of the decision process on not just these vehicles, but so many other things. So I would just certainly appreciate seeing that type of information in the future. Just bear with me one minute. Okay, that's all the questions I have. Thank you Chief. Thank you. Okay. That's all the questions I have. Thank you, Chief. Thank you, Chairman. Thank you, Councilman. Thank you, Chief. Oh, I'm sorry. I'm sorry. I apologize. Are there any questions from members of the council? Any further questions from members of the public? Sir. Sir, I just want to remind the public that all questions come through the chair and the answer's chief will and anyone it's speaking will come to the chair also. Thank you. Thank you. Jim Italian award six. long is the useful life of the kind of vehicle that the chief is talking about. Not only has been a primary vehicle, but also in the reserve pool. Thank you. Thank you. Great question, chief. Did you hear the question? Okay. Yes, please answer. So that is going to be dependent a lot of variables. So a vehicle that's going to last extra amount of time in a city like Warwick is going to be a lot different than a vehicle That would last in a smaller rural area that does a much less call volume based on the call volume that we see in the city of Warwick Which is a very high call valiant volume and as you can see by the mile just out trucks put on as well We recommend replacing trucks at four years. So to have a plan in place that the truck ordered today will be ordering another replacement for that in four years from now. That's an ideal situation. That way it allows us to replace the truck or rehab the truck, if you will, and invest a significant amount of money in it instead of going out and purchasing another truck. There's a lot of options we have, but basically every four years is what we anticipate getting out of a vehicle before it's placed into reserve status. Thank you, Chief. Thank you, sir. Please. To the microphone. My second part of that question was, and then how long will it stay in reserve status? Thank you, sir. Chief. So ideally, we'd like to see another four years out of it possibly. And that's the idea of replacing these trucks in a timely manner. If we replace them in a timely manner, we're allowed to get a decent amount of time out of them in reserve status rather than having to drive a truck into the ground and then send it right off to the junkyard when we're done with it and never getting to use it as a reserve at all. As the council is certainly aware, I've come before you to purchase a lot of reserve used fire apparatus to build up our reserve fleet at one time we had no reserve fleet. And now we have a comfortable amount of pumpers and ladders. And that's because we've built that fleet up over time by making smart investments and fire apparatus. Ideally, we'd like to not do that and be able to use our own trucks that we're buying today and reserve status for a period of time after. Thank you, Chief. Thank you, sir. Any further questions from members of the public? Thank you, Chief. Thank you. Next is bid 2025-113, DPpw purchase of one Chevy 3500 HD one ton dump truck and one Chevy 2500 HD pickup truck. Good evening, Director. You have the mic. Eric Arles, Public Works. Public Works is requesting permission to piggyback MPA number 563 of to purchase one Chevy 3500 dump truck and one Chevy 2500 pickup truck. These items are this department was approved to purchase these through the capital improvement budget and approved for fiscal year 25. Thank you and I also notice director says the purchase will be drawn from the remaining unallocated Arpa funds. Correct. And when you say you're going on the state bid we're getting it at the bulk purchasing power of the state. That is correct. Okay. And further questions from members of the committee for the purchase of these two vehicles. Councilman Gettart. I just let me get back to where I was here. So, yeah, so both of these are in the fiscal year 25 budget. It looks like the dump truck came in higher than anticipated in the budget. And then it looks like the pickup truck came in lower kind of in an offsetting manner. So I think combined these two purchases stay on budget for what was planned in the capital program. So I just wanted to call that out and thank you. Thank you. Thank you, Councilman. Are there any questions for members of the council? Councilman Latisaur. Director, recently we approached another dump truck and F3500. And if I remember correctly, I think the number was around 95,000. Is that right? I don't recall. Okay. Let me rephrase it. The purchase of that truck was 95,000. And this truck is 98,000. So why is this truck 3,000 more than the one we just purchased? What's different with it? I don't think there's anything different with it. I think that prices just go up. It's the same package, the same type of truck we typically purchase. And this truck that we're purchasing is a leftover. What do you mean? It's a 2024. The 2025 vehicles are out now, aren't they? I suppose. So we're looking to pay more for a 2024 Instead of buying a 2025 why I assume the 2025 would cost more than the 2024 they're both Essentially new vehicles Well, but we don't know that because I assumed Nobody got prices on a 2025 right if you're calling for a 2024 Well that pickup truck that we just bought Was that a 2024? I don't I don't recall the information on that It was because We had initially ordered a truck and it was like whatever a year later or something they said oh we can't find one We don't have one. Nothing exists. So you got to get this one instead and pay 10 grand more for it. Some crazy thing. But in any event, why not go out for bid on this truck? Why assume that the MPA thing is always the best deal because I have seen not just in this job, but in the private sector. Now, that always is not the case. But if you don't periodically test the waters, you don't know. So why is this something that you don't just go off a bit on and let's find out because if the numbers come in higher, okay, so we've put in a little time to do some due diligence and some research as opposed to just assuming that the state MPA is the best deal. Had the department considered going out for bid on this? Or did you go out for bid on it? We did not. No, and we always consider that. We have the same thought process as you, but historically, almost without fail, the MPA has provided the better price. We did not do that in this case, kind of looking at past practice as the example. But like I said, historically the MPA has provided the better price, especially when you start to add in all the specifications that we have for the vehicles. I think I put it on the record at the last truck, the difference in pricing between what we were looking to buy versus what could be purchased elsewhere. So I don't think that it's always the best deal. That is, that's all I have on this Mr. Chairman. Thank you Councilman. Any further questions from members of the Council? Questions from members of the chairman. Thank you, Councilman. Any further questions from members of the council? Questions from members of the public. Thank you, Director. Next is bid 2020-039. Purchase of bulk roads salt. Director. Yep, public roads is looking to purchase bulk road salt. Recommend mid-American salt in the award of $150,000, October 29th, 24th, October 28th, 25. So the question that I have, I'm going to say this very lightly, not seriously, but I did send out an email, but unfortunately I was unaware that this was a high vacation wheat. Are we purchasing? And I don't know the history. Are we purchasing more salt anticipation for this coming year as compared because we have that salt barn? No, I mean this is this is the the kind of purchase that we just have in place. Okay, the salt barn is actually Probably three quarters full right now. Yeah, we're in good shape But just in anticipation of what the winter could look like because even if we don't get a lot of snow We still use a lot of salt Because there's still the free use thaws that night. We're out hitting intersections and main drags and so Even if we don't have a snowy winter that doesn't necessarily mean that we aren't using a lot of salts certainly Certainly so this is a preemptive. This is just Authorization to spend if needed correct great. This is strictly spending authority. You're not going to go out and get $150,000 where the salt dropped today, right? So, I think the chair made it pretty clear. This is strictly spending authority. You're not going to go out and get $150,000 where the salt dropped today. Correct. So, I think the chair made it pretty clear. This is strictly spending authority, you know, going to go out and get $150,000 worth of salt dropped today, right? So I know the game plan as far as vendors and one vendor versus 10 vendors, the game plan kind of has changed over the past several years. And for the most part, I have concurred with it. I'm curious as to why you're changing the game plan with the salt and only going with one vendor versus two, where the typical response is because of availability of product, difficulties getting it, vendors, et cetera, et cetera, we just feel more comfortable with two or three or four, whatever. So what prompted you to have a game change with this salt? It's primarily due to the salt barn and that we can stockpile material and we don't, we can allow for a longer lead time on deliveries. So we can better anticipate so we can look at the low better and not have to say we need salt tomorrow and they say we don't have it. We can plan in advance and stock file material so that's why it's easy to just go with the low better. I'm good with that answer. Thank you. Thank you, Councilman. Any further questions from members of the council? Questions from members of the Council questions from members of the public Thank You The next item is bid 2025 107 structural firefighting coat and pants this has found on page 19 Got it Chief you have the microphone. Good evening, Assistant Chief Elman Howard from the Fire Department. Fire Department reviewed bid 2025-107. It is recommended to the award, it be awarded to Fire Tuck and Safety. This is for replacement of the turnout gear for the Fire Department. It's the last bid expired in March 11th, 2024. And we're requesting a one year award for an amount not to exceed $129,600. Funded for the product will come from Code 35282, which is turnout gear. Thank you, Chief. And as you just mentioned, the last bid expired in March 11th and you sent myself, which I gave to the committee, the email where you identified that you used to do, the manufacturer would have two price increase a year. And now that the manufacturer has informed you, there will only be one price increase a year, you felt that it was safe to go back to the one year bid, which is where we're at now. Correct. Yeah. Typically order, we have the advantage that we typically order the gear in a bulk order one time in a fiscal year. Yep. So do avoid the double price increase. The last couple years, we've only worn six month bid, so they can give us price in based on one increase, not forecast in two increases. Okay. But now that they've kind of reversed that and said we only get one a year or so, we'll be able to promise that same place for the entire year. Excellent. Thank you. Councilman Foley. Thank you. Chief, without getting into nitty gritty, as you know, I have a family member who is a current firefighter in Providence, not war. But I've been watching the stories about the fire to turn out gears. And I think East Providence is now purchasing gear that does not have the detrimental material in them. Are we looking at going that route? Clue? Correct. You're talking about PFASs. Yeah. So you're a lot of that in the news with firefighting foams. And there's some evidence that some of the materials, the fire resistant materials that are makeup attorney out gear also include some of those PFASs, like many other things that we probably have around our houses. At this time, that's a brand new product. Even the vendor themselves is telling us to be cautious because it's not as the gear is not as reliable as the gear we currently use and they're not completely 100% satisfied with the product that they're making. They're just putting something out there that's PFAS-free for people that are looking that way. Our Health and Safety Committee works alongside of our Fire Department Parme Administration issues like this. They review these specifications when we put them out to bid. They're still at the point where they're still comfortable with the gear we currently have. And we haven't come to a determination that the PFAS gear, PFAS free gear that's being offered is at the level that it needs to be a reliable set of gear for a fire fighter. So to recap, the new stuff that doesn't have that material in it is a risk reward. And right now, that is correct. They're using new fire-resistant materials. But we're keeping an eye on it as new products come out we'll be watching that. Correct. As that product improves we'll keep evaluating that product until it becomes to a point where we're satisfied with the product. Thank you. Thank you Councilman questions from other members of the committee. Questions from members of the Council. Councilman Ladisaur. Hi, Chief. Good evening. I was getting concerned that you weren't coming up to talk to us there for a little bit. So you answered the question as to why the bid expired some five months ago. So, but we also just heard about the cost of a truck going up $3,000 over the period of six months or so that we approved the other truck. Are you not concerned or do you have reason not to be concerned that the price of this equipment Hasn't gone up since March Yeah, so over the last couple of years it has dramatically increased so we've been seeing three to five percent Increases every six month for the last couple of years since covid That's why we've been trying to get that price down with those six month bids so that we could get a more aggressive price from the vendor. But that has stabilized and my talk with the vendors earlier this year was that the cost of materials has stabilized. The vendor and the manufacturers are more comfortable with more stable price in and be able to do one normal two or three percent increase every year Which is very typical of that of that of fire service products When you when you say the cost of materials I assume that you're referring to the actual finished product Not the cost of the raw materials going into the finished product the raw materials the manufacturer really all they do is so it So it's together so it's a code in a pant they buy rolls of You know Kevlar PDs you know PDI that the fire resistant materials that we use inside our gear and basically what they're doing is Sizing us and then assemble in the gear so it's really the raw the cost of the raw Fabric materials that build that that really drive the price of the gear. So have you received the shurances from the manufacturer that they are holding the prices as of March 11th? Yeah, so yeah, the price that we, this went out to bid. So when they go out to bid, they actually sign that big contract. So they're held to those bid prices for a year. We actually went out to bid for six months. And when the vendor came back, they offered the price for a year. That vendor has got a satisfactory contract with the manufacturer that they can hold the price for a year. So the vendor has entered a contract with the manufacturer for one year. So they gave that to us. All right. That sounds good. Chief, you also say that the standard requires replacement of turnout gear that does not meet inspection slash testing standards or turnout gear that has met the maximum service life of 10 years. So my questions are, do you have written reports or documents that indicate which turnout gears have been inspected. Who does the inspection, by the way? The Fire Department does. Fire Department does. Okay. So do you have written documentation as to when inspections were conducted on what turnout gears and the results of those inspections? Absolutely. Yeah, the Fire Department is required to do that annually. So we have certified inspection gear technicians. They go through a course and a certification to be able to inspect gear. And then every year, every firefighter comes in and somebody that's certified goes through their gear and looks at it and grades it. Basically, is it serviceable, non-serviceable and if it is serviceable is there any issues that need to be repaired and what's the service life remaining on that product so that is done in house by our certified firefighters perfect every year and I would let me be phrased is the same process conducted for turn out gear that has reached maximum service life of 10 years. It can. Once it hits 10 years, it cannot be inserted. So that's the maximum it can be. So usually we get 7 to 8 years out of a set of gear. You know, and again, like just like trucks in a rural community, they can get 10 years out of gear without a problem and probably retire it before it's due. But in the city like ours with the volume we have, we typically don't get more than seven or eight years out of a set of gear before it's damaged upon beyond repair or worn beyond repair. So those inspections they've done yearly. So obviously this, you know, that accumulation of years to get you to the 10. So you have all that record. Correct. Good. Okay. Thank you. I'll set, Chairman. Thank you, Councilman. Thank you, Chief. Any further questions from members of the Council? Questions from members of the public. Thank you, Chief. Thank you. Next is bid 2025 140. This is found on page 21 and it is plastic playground borders and caps. Good evening Eric public works. Good evening. Thank you So recently public works the mayor's office and the interlocal trust met regarding playgrounds in the city, and the discussion was about some of the deficiencies that we have at our playgrounds. So you're going to see a couple items in here tonight that we're going to work on to address those deficiencies. A lot of things I talked about, signs and damaged equipment. One of the things that was most prevalent was the ground surface. So the first thing, these are the borders and caps that are used to round out the perimeter of the playgrounds. So they contain the material. They also delineate playground versus not playground. And so that's what we'll see in tonight. And we're recommending Exceptions of bid 566. So will you go LLC in the amount not to exceed $100,000 to purchase the plastic playground border material. Thank you. I have, I was looking at my email and I couldn't find it because I got a flurry of them. But am I correct to see that the cost is, there's a $600 shipping, is that not included in the total price? If you look at document number 23, and if I'm wrong on this, I do apologize. But if you look at document number 23 into 24, you'll see it says shipping. Because this is being completed, the shipping cost is not included, but that was left on the document.