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HomeMy WebLinkAboutAgenda Statement 1987/09/22 Item 7• ITEM TITLE: SUBMITTED BY: REVIEWED BY: COUNCIL AGENDA STATEMENT Item Meeting Date 9/22/87 Resolution ~3~ ~~ Authorizing emergency replacement of a turf mower Director of Public Works/City E gineer Director of Parks and Recreation City Manager~p (4/5ths Vote: Yes No X ) At the February 5, 1985 meeting of the City Council, the Council adopted a resolution authorizing the establishment of a Vehicle Equipment Replacement Fund. This resolution allowed for emergency replacement of vehicles that were not a part of the Equipment Replacement Program for the current year. One of the turf mowers assigned to the Parks and Recreation Department is experiencing high maintenance and repair cost for the past couple of months. Downtime last month was 50% of its available time. Several major components are in need of repair or replacement that could end up to be more than 10% ($4,200) of the replacement cost of a new piece of equipment. COMMENDATION: That Council adopt a resolution authorizing the emergency placement of the tractor/mower. BOARDS/COMMISSIONS RECOMMENDATION: Not applicable. DISCUSSION: The age and condition of the Howard Hydro 180 mower has impacted the Parks Maintenance Division's ability to provide the quality and amount of service required. Although the Howard mower is scheduled for replacement in FY 88-89, its recent maintenance history does not indicate that it will last another 12 months for it to be replaced through the normal Equipment Replacement Program. During the last month's operation, the mower was inoperative 50q° of the time. To compensate for this amount of down time, other smaller mowers have been substituted to mow the major areas with the following consequences. First, some of the areas are not mowed as frequently as required which creates a "hay problem" by the time the area can be mowed again; secondly, the down time has put a severe workload on the smaller pieces of equipment which has an effect on their expected life cycle. While this second issue will not show short-term effects, continued reliance on smaller equipment will show its effects in years 6, 7, and 8 of its life cycle. Thirdly, it is less efficient use of staff time. For example, it requires four hours to mow Sweetwater Park with the Howard Hydro 180. It requires 12 staff hours to mow the same area with two smaller mowers. Apply this ratio to 125 acres assigned to the Howard dramatically increases the inefficiency of continued use of smaller mowers to aintain the area assigned to the larger mowers. • Page 2, Item ~ Meeting Date-~97~T$7 In preparing the 1987-88 Equipment Replacement Program, this piece of equipment did not meet all three of the criteria used to recommend its replacement. The Howard Hydro 180 met 2 of the 3 criteria for replacement in preparing FY 87-88 equipment replacement list. The life-to-date maintenance cost of $50,000+ exceeded the two-thirds maintenance cost of replacement cost ($42,000). The number of downtime hours vs. operating hours over the life of the Howard Hydro is approximately half of the expected usage. The only cri teri on not met for the FY 87-88 was age. The Howard Hydro 180 was placed on an eight-year replacement schedule. It is seven years old. In FY 86-87, two Hustler 400's with vacuum attachments were purchased. Staff recommends the same type of tractor-mower be purchased as replacements. This will result in approximately $8,000 savings over the replacement cost of $42,000 for a new Howard Hydro 180. The cost for two (2) Hustler 400 mowers with three-deck (12 ft. swath) is $34,000. The Parks and Recreation Director recommends replacing the Howard Hydro 180 with two Hustlers 400 with 3 decks and a 12-foot mowing swath. The new mowers will provide a major mowing tractor for the north and south maintenance districts. This will eliminate staff time necessary in transporting one large tractor mower all over town. These mowers will save wear and tear on the smaller pieces of mowing equipment currently used to meet demands. Also, dditional staff hour savings will be realized in both districts which will able the Parks to schedule other maintenance tasks. Since 1984, the City has acquired new parklands (i.e., Sweetwater Park and Terra Nova Park) and will be acquiring new parks (Bonita Long Canyon and Sunridge Park) in 1988. During this time, the City has not purchased additional equipment to maintain these areas. This has placed a severe workload on current equipment. The addition of the two Hustlers with 3 deck will enable the department more flexibility and will be able to absorb new areas in the work maintenance program. FISCAL IMPACT: Reserve funds exist in the Equipment Replacement Fund. Replacement costs will total $34,000. WPC 3170E ~~~ the City Council of Chula Vista, Califiornia • Dated i -' '' r/ ,.._ _.