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Council approves IT server and park equipment purchases, introduces budget amendment for mobile LED trailer
Summary
Romulus City Council authorized a $175,775 piggyback purchase of a Dell VxRail server, approved playground equipment and a safety surfacing change order, and introduced a budget amendment to fund a mobile LED screen trailer to be paid from PEG fees.
The Romulus City Council on July 28 approved several capital purchases and introduced a budget amendment to fund a mobile LED screen trailer used for movies and public events.
Council authorized a piggyback purchase under the Omnia Partners contract to buy a replacement Dell VxRail server from Zones Inc. for $175,775, which includes three years of hardware and software support, the council was told. Gary Harris, deputy finance director, verified that funds for the purchase are in the current budget. The motion to proceed passed by roll call.
The council also approved purchase and installation of playground equipment from GameTime for Elmer Johnson Park, Saint John's Lodge Park and Oak Brook Park at a total cost of $26,361.98. The clerk’s memo said the funds come from a Wayne County grant awarded Sept. 25, 2023. A related change order to add additional safety surfacing and wood fiber cushion at Mary Anne Banks Park for $8,150 was approved as well.
Separately, the mayor asked the council to introduce budget amendment 25‑26‑1 to cover costs associated with buying a mobile LED screen trailer. Parks staff presented a vendor video and said the city would pursue a battery‑powered configuration, which the presenter described as able to “operate for up to 19 hours before it needs to be recharged.” The council voted to introduce the budget amendment; the amendment itself will return for formal adoption at a later meeting.
Why it matters: the server purchase supports core city IT services (phones, email, printing and related systems), the playground purchases and change order fund park improvements paid for with an awarded county grant, and the LED trailer is intended to support the city’s outdoor programming across neighborhoods. Officials said the trailer would be paid from PEG (public, education and government) cable franchise fees.
The council approved the purchases by roll call votes; no council member voted against the items. The introduction of the budget amendment does not itself appropriate funds; the city will consider the formal amendment at a future meeting.
