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Operations staff seek equipment upgrades, staff additions; board approves loader and other contracts
Summary
Operations reported inventory results and recommended replacing aging equipment with a mini payloader that can operate on turf, outlined new hires, and requested site prep for a three‑bay batting cage; the board later awarded a loader purchase and approved snow removal contracts and athletic equipment purchases.
Operations staff told the Dallas Center‑Grimes Board they have been inventorying custodial and grounds equipment and recommended purchasing an Avant mini payloader to replace older 2003 vintage equipment, consolidate attachments and enable work on turf and all‑weather surfaces.
"The Avant stands out above and beyond the rest of them because it is safe on sports turf," an operations presenter said, explaining the vendor’s ability to accept trade‑ins for existing attachments — a factor that reduced net cost in staff comparisons.
Staff also reported the district received multiple competitive bids for snow removal, with three vendors selected to cover different sites. To compare apples‑to‑apples, operations staff analyzed per‑piece pricing rather than overall fleet quotes, because some vendors listed the size of their entire fleets that would not actually be deployed to district sites.
The operations team asked the board to authorize site preparation and concrete work this fall for a three‑bay batting cage so the facility could be ready for spring. Staff noted the need to coordinate local city permitting and 20/80 agreements with the City of Dallas Center before installing permanent improvements.
The board later approved an award for a payloader/loader purchase to Central Iowa Farm Store for $56,406.20 that included a trade allowance of $48,200, and approved the snow‑removal contracts and an athletic equipment quote for $67,485.60. A separate motion accepted bids and awarded a surplus technology sale for $38,082.
Operations also reported hiring plans: a general maintenance position to replace an electrician role and a night/weekend activities custodian to cover rentals and reduce overtime. Candidates have been selected pending background checks.
Board members asked about funding sources; staff identified the PEPL equipment fund as the likely payment source for the loader purchase and said salt/brine application is performed in‑house and is not part of the snow‑removal contract.
Staff will complete vendor paperwork, trade documentation and asset tagging following contract awards.
