43
Youngstown teams up with Mahoning County and Boardman to buy road salt
YOUNGSTOWN
Youngstown joined Mahoning County and Boardman to purchase road salt in an effort officials for the three entities hoped would lower the price compared with buying it on their own. Apparently it worked.
Of the three proposals opened Tuesday, the apparent lowest is $63.36 a ton from Morton Salt, a Chicago-based company with a salt mine in Pittman, Ohio.
The two other proposals came from Cargill Deicing Technology of North Olmstead at $68.34 a ton, and North American Salt Co. of Overland Park, Kan., at $79.96 a ton.
The city paid $76.31 a ton last year for road salt from Cargill while the county paid $105.25 a ton in 2014 from Midwest Salt Co. of Fort Wayne, Ind., through state purchasing. Boardman didn’t buy salt last winter because of the price. All three mixed the road salt with slag at a higher rate than usual to save money.
“I’m pleased with the price and working with the county and Boardman helped,” said Charles Shasho, deputy director of Youngstown’s public works department. “It’s high [compared to 2013], but we knew that going in. Hopefully we’ll have a good winter, but that’s at the mercy of Mother Nature.”
The price of road salt skyrocketed last year. In 2013, Youngstown paid $37.89 a ton while the county and Boardman paid $27.50.
Road salt is used to melt ice and snow.
The state’s summer road salt price is $68.82 a ton and it’s provided by Morton.
“This is better than the summer price,” said county Engineer Patrick Ginnetti. “I was concerned with the winter price. I thought we’d be looking at $170 a ton. I was worried what the price would be if it increased like it did last winter. The price isn’t ideal, but we’re happy with [$63.36]. It’s better than last winter.”
Having the city, county and township team up was “absolutely beneficial. It’s a good move in the right direction for all of us. We could bring the other townships into it next year.”
In this proposal, Youngstown committed to buy at least 5,000 tons, the county would purchase at least 3,000 tons, and Boardman has a 2,500-ton minimum.
Shasho said he’ll talk to county and Boardman officials before moving ahead with the deal. The city’s board of control is likely to vote on the proposal in a couple of weeks, he said.
If the contract is approved, it would be for one year and start in mid- to late September.