Can’t even buy it in New Albany

By DANIEL SUDDEATH
Daniel.Suddeath@newsandtribune.com

November 19, 2008 01:47 pm

— So you know
• The road salt shortage is credited to major snow storms in the Northeast and Midwest last winter.

New Albany didn’t receive a response for purchasing road salt after City Controller Kay Garry sought to replenish the city’s supply by submitting a bid to several companies.
Garry said during Tuesday’s Board of Public Works and Safety meeting the city has 267 tons of salt left.
“My advice would be that if it’s necessary to replenish our supplies, that the street commissioner call several companies and go” with the best price, Garry said.
Floyd County is also experiencing salt problems. Road Department Superintendent Ron Quakenbush said the county will likely pay $125 a ton for salt this year, compared to $38 a ton last year.
Clarksville paid the same price per ton because Clark County was able to get the same deal of approximately $55 per ton.
“We do have a supply from last year we’re able to draw from, but it would be in our best interest to be proactive,” Board President Matt Denison said.
Jeffersonville’s street department was only allowed to bid for 500 tons of salt after initially requesting 1,500 tons. Sellersburg was only allowed to purchase the same amount as last year — 120 tons.
Other bids
Garry retained from asking the board to approve a fuel bid for 2009 in hopes she can get a better rate for gasoline.
The bid she received reflected prices estimated before fuel costs began to wane.
“They were quite a bit higher than the going rate this morning,” Garry said.
Thorntons Inc. has held the city’s fuel contract for nearly a decade, according to Garry.
The board was able to approve bids for hot and cold asphalt, which is used to patch street potholes.
Sellersburg Stone was awarded the bid for the cold patch at $85 per ton. MAC Construction and Excavating Inc. won the bid for hot patch at $48.50 per ton.
MAC will also handle milling and paving contracts for asphalt. The rates will be $73 a ton with materials retained by the city and $64 a ton with materials retained by MAC.