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6. Budget Amendment and Vehicle Acquisition Authorization CITYOF 1 .41! CHANHASSEN 690 COULTER DRIVE • P.O. BOX 147 • CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317 1 (612) 937 -1900 • FAX (612) 937 -5739 MEMORA UM 4M, .44. c TO: Mayor and City Council o Ev r -A A /e FROM: Don Ashworth, City Manager �w � DATE: August 19, 1993 1 SUBJ:' Budget Amendment and Vehicle Acquisition Authorization 1 The 1993 motor vehicle budget includes an administrative vehicle. I had been waiting to see if the state would once again short our city and force reductions in budgets and/or to have time to 1 monitor actual needs. After you read the attached memorandum from Charles Folch, it is obvious that I waited too long in attempting to determine need. 1 The vehicle included in the 1993 budget was a van-type of vehicle holdipig 6 to 8 passengers. I had hoped to see this as an upscale -type of a vehicle which reasonably could be used as we provide tours for Council/Commission members, Moody's, Metropolitan Council representatives; 1 League sessions, AMM activities; etc. We have been a part of numerous tours by other cities who have wanted to see the success that Chanhassen has achieved with our business park and downtown area. In most of those meetings, they had a vehicle similar to the one I just described and the vehicle worked very well for them. However, in looking at our own usage needs, I think it would be a big mistake to look to a ' luxury-type van. I can almost anticipate the type of showdown which would occur between the Park and Rec Department and myself after I learned that this new vehicle had been used as a part of the fishing contest at Lake Ann over the Fourth of July, .i.e. a vehicle reeking of dead fish, 1 dead worms, and holes in the upholstery. The decision to look to a luxury-type van also does not recognize the huge discounts which are available under the state bidding process for the both 1 the Ford Taurus and Crown Victoria -- either of which being a nice vehicle for all of the functions mentioned above (except for fishing contests). ' Based on the above comments and the usage noted in Charles' memorandum, I would request that the City Council authorize a budget amendment which would allow the monies which had been pledged for a singular vehicle to be pledged to the acquisition of a pickup (with camper top) 1 for usage by Park and Recreation and a Ford Taurus which can be shared by Planning and Administration. I have asked Todd Gerhardt to obtain quotes under the state contract for both of these vehicles. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Mayor and City Council 1 August 19, 1993 Page 2 1 Update from Todd Gerhardt: Attached please find quotes for both of the vehicles as specified by the City Manager. It should be noted that the vehicles quoted are vehicles which were on the ' lot as of the date of taking the quote this past week. Hopefully, the Council approval for both of these vehicles would be seen as a generalized approval wherein if either or both of these vehicles have been sold that staff has the authority to accept a similar vehicle so long as the costs did not exceed 5% greater than the bids submitted. I should also note that the total cost of the two vehicles is approximately $4,000 less than the amount budgeted for the single vehicle. Approval is recommended. 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 C ITYOF i CHANHASSEN 690 COULTER DRIVE • P.O. BOX 147 • CHANHASSEN, MINNESOTA 55317 (612) 937 -1900 • FAX (612) 937 -5739 r 1 MEMORANDUM 1 TO: Don Ashworth, City Manager 1 FROM: Charles Folch, City Engineer DATE: July 28, 1993 I SUBJ: Engineer's Vehicle Request in Equipment Replacement Fund No. 208 for Budget 1 Year 1994 File No. PW -261D i As a part of the budget preparation for the fiscal year 1994, I am requesting an engineer's vehicle I to be included in the Equipment Replacement Fund No. 208. I believe it is important that I make you aware of some related problems being experienced in the Engineering Department which provide some of the justification for doing so. I First of all, it has been my contention for some time now that the Engineering Department has been operating with a shortage of vehicles. You may recall that an Engineering vehicle was I budgeted and approved for fiscal year 1991 and was however not allowed to be purchased due to uncertainties in local government aid cuts. This vehicle was again budgeted and approved with the 1992 fiscal year budget and again was not allowed to be purchased again due to ' uncertainties in local government aid cuts. This vehicle, however, was not included in the 1993 budget mainly due to frustration for what had taken place the previous two years. The Engineering Department currently has three vehicles; a 1980 Ford Fairmont, a 1988 I Chevrolet S -10 Blazer and a 1990 Chevrolet Suburban. The Suburban is basically committed full time to Bill Bement in performing project field inspections. The Fairmont is shared by Dan 1 Remer and the summer Engineering intern to perform their duties such as setting traffic counters, traffic signage inventory, complaint response and utility permit inspections. This leaves the Blazer to be shared by Dave Hempel and myself. You may recall that my predecessor, Gary I Warren, was assigned the Blazer as his personal take -home vehicle. This privilege was not granted to me with my promotion to this position. While I have not had a major problem with I this nor with sharing the Blazer with Dave Hempel, I believe that our generosity in sharing the Engineering Blazer with other departments is being abused and has become a significant problem. 1 Don Ashworth 11 July 28, 1993 Page 2 Back in the winter of 1991, staff from the Planning and Administration departments began requesting use of the Engineering Blazer for outside meetings with the reasoning that, under ' winter conditions, they only felt safe driving a 4 -wheel drive vehicle. We have attempted to accommodate their requests, but the demands outstrip out ability to properly function as a department. This interdepartmental sharing of the Engineering Blazer and Chevrolet wagon has 1 _ grown to a point where requests for usage is now year - round. There are nine staff personnel from Planning, Administration and the Park and Rec Departments whose first priority choice for vehicle usage is the Engineering Blazer or Chevrolet wagon. I can understand their desire to use 1 these vehicles as the Escort wagon and Ford Fairmont are not fit to drive out of town. The reliability of both of these vehicles is highly questionable. The policy that the Engineering Department has enacted for interdepartmental sharing of the Engineering Blazer was for the other departments to make a request to me for its use when the Celebrity or Escort Wagons were not available. This has gone totally by the wayside as no one requests the use of the vehicle no matter what other vehicles are available. This is severely hampering my ability to perform my job responsibilities for the City. For example, a few weeks ago, I had to respond to an immediate problem on a job site and as I had left the parking lot with ' the Blazer, it ran out of gas. Yesterday I had an afternoon field meeting and no Engineering vehicle to use. For the past two weeks I have been left with no Engineering vehicle because the ' other two vehicles were in use, as is normal, by other Engineering Department staff. Today, I will again have to use my personal vehicle for an outside meeting. The bottom line is, under the present situation, I cannot count on having the Blazer available for my use when I need it. 1 In order for me to perform the responsibilities assigned to my position, it is imperative that I have a designated engineering vehicle which I can also share with Assistant Engineer, Dave ' Hempel. Quite often we have to make field calls without advance warning. Therefore, it is imperative that we have a vehicle we can count on using at all times and be directly responsible for its care and maintenance. Sharing the Engineering Blazer with nine other staff members from ' three other departments has not worked and can no longer be considered acceptable. Accordingly, I will be proposing to purchase an Engineer's vehicle in the Equipment Replacement Fund No. 208 for fiscal year 1994. I would not be making this vehicle request if 1 I did not feel it was absolutely necessary. My only other option is to revert back to restricting the use of the Blazer to the Engineering Department and require the other departments make use of the vehicles they have assigned to them accordingly. I am sure you will have some questions 1 on this issue and I would be happy to discuss them. jms ' c: Todd Gerhardt, Assistant City Manager tY g Tom Chaffee, Data Processing Coordinator 1 1 HUG -16-1993 11 :51 FROM SUPERIOR FORD TO 9375739 P.03 (55Teit II . 111"......5".".141.PCIII)"."BlimmillmNialliimm."1116666"• FLEET & GOVERNMENT SALES DEPARTMENT 9700 56TH AVE. NO. 1 PLYMOUTH, MN. 55442 PHONE 612 -559 -91 FAX 612 - 559 -905 a '!'� "'' � DATE l /of c���i TO: ATTN c� PHONE 9.3 • — • 44 __,2: FAX _..= _Z3`J ' R103 RANGER 4X2 XLT /II4" w8 10756,00 — . COLOR EXT,�'�oot r INT140 1 PO MOCHA FROST CLEARC0AT MET ! EP MOCHA CLOTH PREFERRED EQUIPMENT PK6.864A 906 !00 4X11 TRIH 589 .ELEC AM /FM STEREO /LASS /CLK 521 .POWER STEERING 433 .SLIDING REAR WINDOW 6 .XLT NE TAPE STRIPE 7 768 8 •GHROht REAR STEP BIJHPER 4 00 4 416 .FLOOR COHSOLETIE 990 00 99U A A I Yb 0/D 44T T AUTo 1pNTIt~ O/ TRAN aKSNISS T80 .P225 STEEL OWL A /SEASON TIRES }dC tl ::::::::=1:111 572 251 0 X4 VAST ALUMINUM REGULAR AXLE 649 CART ALUMMINUM M NmEE NFiEELS--OP MO 00 . 57x AIR CUtit3ITIgNING NC t CLEARCOAT PAINT 153 FRONT 1 CENSE PLATE 8RACkET G .� 624 SUPER ENGINE COOLING :::::::::::::11 E CLOTH GTOTAt &N O PTION S 14172 00 F OES1 N DELIVERY 1 TOTA BEFDRE & DISCOUNTS # SpECI L AtidEO DISCOUNTS 366 , - TOTAL FOR VEHICLE 14266 00 a A T 1 TRADE ALLOWANCE - UNITS _._.. YR_ - MAKE /MODEL _ MILEAGE VIN _ THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY PRESENT S ENT THIS QUOTATION. TOTAL NET $ PLEASE CALL IF YOU HAVE - .QUESTIONS. 1 il AUG -16 -1993 11 :51 FROM SLIFERIOR FORD TO 9375735 F. 1 SUPERIOR (50;,,, FLEET & GOVERNMENT SALES DEPARTMENT 9700 56TH AVE. NO. I PLYMOUTH, MN. 55442 PHONE 612 - 559 -9111 FAX 612 - 559 - 905 9 • TO: , ,v 1 _. .f.4"") DATE g //6/9-F _ ATTN o e G �? ,- -i ' ci ,/ .,✓ 4i Pte/ /f?�/ SS3 PHONE 93 /f'o FAX Q' - 77.9 COLOR -EXT r3�L 'e' INT •try II 19 i tAU U GL 4 -Dt?0 SEDAN x5 00 DO J = YN SI CLE METALL=C PREFERRED tOUIFHEHT PICS.201S 1280 00 I 7 7 ANUAL AIR CONDITIONG NI 7q .R EAR WIH1DOW DEFROST R 995 I7 4 ! n1 t rM11 SPT /pECRNCRRLETED 1 1008 HATS QL Elii NT ENGINE — P ' 44L AUTtl OYERDVE . 1'79 1t AiA ENI CL $ UPtXONS i6aa0 op 1 A N iFOR OELIv RY 525 00 FORD D ISCOU TS i7405 00 • E I ( gJDED DISCaU TS4 355 00- SCHEDULE . tOTAL kDt VEHICLE 7050 as /�� a U 1 ,_mss_ . .0 ,s c c) n_ ! 0 ° - 0 2=3 ©1 y /L./ 7.- /t'.e-, TOTAL 1 TRADE ALLOWANCE - U NIT# AKE /MODEL . VIN MILEAGE S i THANK YOU FOR THE OPPORTUNITY TO PRESENT THIS QUOTATION. PLEASE CAL IF YOU HAVE ANY QUESTIONS. DOTAL NET 1.'.....2._. II 1 -r,--'04-e4-1-'-'z'