Town approves $12,575 generator for highway garage despite questions on procurement process
Summary
Caroline Town Board approved a $12,575 contract to purchase and install a backup generator for the highway garage, while some members flagged that the purchase process did not follow the town’s written RFP requirements and that quotes were not apples-to-apples.
The Caroline Town Board voted unanimously April 16 to approve a $12,575 purchase and installation contract with Schistler Electrical Contractor Inc. for a backup generator at the highway garage.
Board members said the existing generator is more than 50 years old and not working properly and that storms this spring and summer increase the need for dependable backup power. Highway staff obtained three proposals; members noted the proposals were not produced as part of a written RFP and differed in scope and fuel type (natural gas plumbing vs. different kilowatt sizes). One member said the lack of an apples-to-apples RFP made comparing bids difficult and flagged partial noncompliance with the town’s purchasing policy for procurements between $5,000 and $20,000 that usually requires a written RFP and specified vendor quotes.
The chair said the town made an effort to obtain multiple quotes and cited operational urgency to ensure the highway barn has backup power. A member said the higher-priced quote included plumbing to a natural gas line, while the accepted quote was for a different configuration; highway superintendent Bob (referenced in discussion) favored a liquid-cooled unit.
Despite the procurement questions, the board approved the contract and authorized staff to proceed. The board did not record any abstentions or opposing votes.
Next steps: staff will finalize contract paperwork and coordinate installation before the storm season.
AI generated
The text on this page is AI generated. Summaries, highlights, analysis, and video transcripts are all produced from the original source material.
AI can make mistakes, so if you spot one, and we will fix it for everyone.
Note: the source content is unaltered by us. Any content source we link to, be it a video, an audio recording, or a document, is presented exactly as its publisher released it. That publisher is usually a government body, sometimes an individual official or another organisation.
