Utility board approves emergency purchase of six cellular call boxes after storm; shipping cost questioned

The Burns Harbor Utility Board on a unanimous roll call approved an emergency purchase of six cellular call boxes to replace obsolete station dialers, authorizing the town manager to complete the transaction at a not-to-exceed total of $21,900, which includes a $20,100 equipment quote and as much as $1,800 for overnight shipping.

Board members said the existing Roico dialer units have been obsolete since 2018 and that several stations failed to call out during recent storms. Staff said the new units use cellular service and will not rely on Frontier landlines, a change the board described as a critical reliability upgrade for stations that lose commercial power.

During discussion, members questioned the $1,800 overnight-shipping line item and asked staff to verify the package weight and the vendor’s markup before final payment. One member suggested picking up the units from the shipper if that would reduce cost. Staff said two units were expected to arrive the next morning and the remaining four within two days.

The motion approved a not-to-exceed authorization rather than a fixed invoice; the board said staff will attempt to negotiate any reduction in shipping before the town issues final payment.

The purchase follows an operational review after a recent storm that revealed multiple station alarms and dialers were not functioning; staff reported several invoices related to emergency station support and flow-meter inspections from vendors including Superior Pumping and Gasvoda & Associates. The board approved payment of those vendor invoices separately during the same meeting.

The board did not identify a formal mover or seconder in the meeting transcript; the vote was recorded by roll call as approved. The new equipment will be installed and commissioned as staff coordinates with the vendor and confirms shipping charges.