Vernon to install gas tanks to fuel township vehicles
Vernon. The cost is $78,000 higher than it was in 2018. Contractor Bob Baldwin told the township council that he is closing his fuel business.
| 12 Aug 2021 | 02:30
Vernon Department of Public Works (File photo by Vera Olinski)
Starting next spring, Vernon’s vehicles will gas up at its own tanks, to be installed using $60,000 from the township’s Capital Improvement Fund.
Councilwoman Kelly Weller was absent from the meeting on July 26, when the council unanimously agreed to appropriate the money. The gas tanks will be installed on township property. Charles Voelker, the township business administrator, said the pumps will be above ground and supply both regular gasoline and diesel.
Voelker said contractor Bob Baldwin has informed the council that, as of April 1, 2022, he will be closing his business and therefore unable to continue fueling township vehicles. He’s been fulfilling his contract with the township since 2018. “The most realistic way to approach this was to obtain our own tanks for that purpose,” Voelker said.
But the price has gone up significantly just three years. “Back in 2018, and prior to going out to bid and creating the contract with Mr. Baldwin, we had looked into pricing at that time for what pumps would cost,” Voelker said.
In 2018, the township was given a price of $206,000.
“We did not act at that time because we thought that the better way to go was through Mr. Baldwin, since the pricing that we were getting was very good and would not cause the capital outlay to create our own set of tanks,” Voelker said. “We thought, however, he might stay in business longer than he is now.”
When cobbling together the township budget for this year, he said, officials estimated the cost would be $40,000 higher than the 2018 quote, but about two weeks prior discovered the price was actually $78,000 higher.
Noting that prices have risen in the aftermath of the pandemic, Mayor Howard Burrell called the increase a “Covid penalty.”
In addition, Cory Stoner, the township engineer, told Voelker another $20,000 would be needed to prepare the site for the installation. That work will be done by the Department of Public Works.
The tanks will take four to six months to be delivered, and be ready for use next spring.
“We did not act at that time because we thought that the better way to go was through Mr. Baldwin, since the pricing that we were getting was very good and would not cause the capital outlay to create our own set of tanks. We thought, however, he might stay in business longer than he is now.” Charles Voelker