Finance Committee — 12/01/2021 Page 27
Re: Road Salt in the amount not to exceed $465,000 funded from accounts 61514 Salt (Streets)
MOTION BY ALDERMAN HARRIOTT-GATHRIGHT TO ACCEPT, PLACE ON FILE AND APPROVE THE PURCHASE
OF WINTER ROAD SALT FROM GRANITE STATE MINERALS OF PORTSMOUTH, NH, AND EASTERN MINERALS,
INC. OF CHELSEA, MA, IN THE AMOUNT OF $465,000. FUNDING WILL BE THROUGH DEPARTMENT 161
STREETS; FUND: 61514 SALT, BY ROLL CALL
ON THE QUESTION
Jonathan Ibarra, Superintendent of Streets
Thank you, Mr. Mayor. So this is an annual expenditure out of our operating budget for winter road salt. What | would like
to mention is that this year's price of road salt has increased dramatically from last year's $49.50 a ton to $72 a ton.
Actually the State bid went out at $72.60 a ton and they give to the city for $72 aton. This will impact us by about 3,000
tons less this year with our operating budget. Hopefully the brining operation that we've implemented and continue to
grow will help us out in that aspect. I'm happy to take any questions you may have.
Mayor Donchess
Anyone?
Alderman O’Brien
Yeah, thank you. It's just mostly a comment. But if you want to speak briefly what the brining process. | think it's been
highly successful. | know, we tried it out and it seems whenever we pretreat, | know, the State pretreats the roads. So as
we're coming into the season, if you just want to give a brief explanation and the benefits of it?
Jonathan Ibarra, Superintendent of Streets
Sure. So the biggest impact would be the reduction in the use of salt. So making brine we can actually get more out of
the ton per lane mile. This also keeps the hardpack from forming on the road. The limitations are the pavement
temperature, air, relative humidity. So you really have to, more or less, be a meteorologist to know when you can actually
use it. But we're seeing around a 20% reduction in the use of solid material by implementing this brine. Every truck
purchased, that's a big truck, we have the liquid application tank included in the purchase. So we're growing our brine
application process it seems every year. It’s a great benefit to the environment and the budget.
Mayor Donchess
And the roads
Jonathan Ibarra, Superintendent of Streets
And the roads.
Alderman Klee
Thank you, Mr. Mayor. This is not the same salt or sand that the citizens or residents can get over at the over by Stello's
Stadium?
Jonathan Ibarra, Superintendent of Streets
So it is actually. We take it out of the salt barn and put it over there and the residents’ salt barn. We have a pile of sand
in the other side of that same little shed.
As far as the brine goes, that is not open to the public. That's an in house application that we use. If any of you are
interested in a tour, we built our own facility over there. It's a really neat process and I'd be happy to show you around.
Alderman Klee
Thank you. So with the reduction of by having 3,000 tons less with this, are we going to still be able to offer it to the
citizens?
