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River Falls Municipal Utility Advisory Board approves telehandler purchase for multi‑department use
Summary
The advisory board approved a resolution to buy a telehandler forklift to be shared across water, wastewater, public works and electric departments; staff said the packet shows a combined quoted price of roughly $855,000 and noted a roughly $20,000 trade‑in. Procurement used a cooperative Sourcewell contract.
The River Falls Municipal Utility Advisory Board on April 20 approved a resolution to purchase a telehandler forklift intended for shared use by multiple city departments, staff said.
Wayne, a utilities staff member presenting the item, told the board the telehandler will be used across water, wastewater, public works and electric operations and that the existing unit—purchased in 2017—has required increasing maintenance. "This piece of equipment... helps with functions of our projects," Wayne said during the meeting.
Board discussion clarified the purchase price shown in the agenda packet and the role of a trade‑in. Staff said the telehandler line on the vendor quote was listed at about $786,000 and the forks at roughly $69,690, and that the packet showed a total in the neighborhood of $855,000; staff also said the city expects a trade‑in allowance of about $20,000. The board asked how repair and replacement costs are allocated; staff said repair expense is shared among the departments that use the unit.
Kevin, a utilities staff representative, explained the city used cooperative purchasing through Sourcewell for the item and described the purchasing practice: "Sourcewell is a cooperative purchasing contract... it allows municipalities to piggyback off those contracts and have the bulk purchasing power without having to acquire multiple quotes," he said, adding the city still checks pricing and sometimes solicits additional quotes when needed.
A motion to approve the resolution was made, seconded and called; the board voted in favor and the motion passed.
The board did not record detailed individual vote tallies in the transcript. Staff said the purchase replaces a unit that has required substantial maintenance and is intended to improve cross‑department operations; the packet with the written quote and trade‑in details was referenced during the discussion. The advisory board did not attach a separate funding ordinance or multi‑year financing schedule to the resolution during the meeting; staff indicated the purchase would be allocated across departments and was being procured to maximize efficiency.
