Hurricane staff seek inventory software, telehandler and new water-facility manager position

HURRICANE, Utah — Water Department staff asked the Hurricane City Water Board to approve budget items for equipment and a software system to improve operations and asset tracking.

Corey described the department’s crowded warehouse and proposed purchasing a telehandler (an extendable forklift) to improve safety and access to stored parts; new models were listed near $91,000, and staff identified used alternatives that would be less costly. He also asked for a smaller arrow board for use on narrow sidewalks and work zones where larger arrow boards will not fit.

Corey presented a cloud-based inventory and work-order software (vendor based in Logan, Utah) that integrates with GIS and would let crews document leaks, hydrant hits and parts with photos tied to specific assets. He said the vendor assigns a rep to set up the system and that the annual subscription, as described at the meeting, would be about $17,000 per year after initial setup.

To support the system and centralize responsibility for multiple facilities, Corey proposed creating a new water-facility manager position. He named Camden as a candidate, describing him as meticulous and familiar with needed parts and work flows; the facility manager would oversee inventory, maintain work-order logs and coordinate with supervisors on projects.

Board members supported getting contract language and including the software contract in the packet so the procurement team could review terms; one member cautioned that sales representations do not always match contract language and offered to help review the contract before finalization.

What’s next: Staff will prepare contract details, vendor warranty/terms and formal job description for the proposed facility-manager position for future board and council consideration.