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City to purchase second trench cage for excavations despite cost overruns

The public works and utilities department will spend $40,000 to purchase a new type of excavation trench cage even though the item is $15,000 over budget
City hall summer
City hall was built between 1912 and 1914. Photo by Jason G. Antonio

Trench cages are used in construction projects to keep workers safe during excavations, but if the equipment is damaged, the usual decision is to send them outside the province for repairs.

All that downtime and expensive repair costs could be a thing of the past, however, as the public works and utilities department plans to purchase a new type of cage with a modular design that allows for damaged sections to be replaced on-site with drop-in replacement parts. The cage could also be repaired in town by an experienced welder.  

During the Jan. 25 regular city council meeting, council voted 6-1 to allow the department to spend an extra $14,993.59 from the equipment reserve control account to purchase this new type of trench cage valued at $39,993.59.

Coun. Dawn Luhning was opposed.

Background

The department issued a tender to purchase two trench cages in 2020, with each cage budgeted at $25,000 for a total of $50,000, a council report explained. The tender closed on Dec. 10 with three bids received.

The lowest bid for one cage was $24,988.61, while the bid for a second cage was $39,993.59, for a total of $64,982.20.

The department awarded the purchase for the first cage.

The second trench cage is replacing one that is damaged, the report continued. Previously, the city shipped damaged cages outside of Saskatchewan for repair and recertification. This was costly and removed the cage from service for a lengthy period.

Trench cages allow for a smaller excavation size, which reduces the costs related to asphalt and concrete replacement and satisfies regulatory safety requirements, the report added. Without such cages, excavations must be widened to allow for sufficient sloping of the site walls to comply with safety regulations.

Council discussion

Since the second cage’s cost is over budget by nearly $15,000, Luhning wondered where the extra money would come and what other budgeted projects would be pushed off. She thought that city administration should retender the project so it came in under budget.

Darrin Stephanson, manager of public works and utilities, replied that the additional money would come from the equipment reserve control account. He emphasized that council would save thousands of dollars with this new cage design and by keeping damaged ones in town for repair; one to two are damaged per year.

“These are aluminum cages. As long as we have a certified aluminum welder (who is ticketed) and they have the parts, it does not have to go anywhere or be sent to a third party … ,” he added. “This gives us more flexibility than we’ve ever had.”

City administration is not putting off any other budgeted project, added city manager Jim Puffalt. He acknowledged that while $15,000 was a concern, city hall was handcuffed when performing excavations without trench cages since they are critical pieces of equipment.

The public works department conducts 350 excavations per year, with 50 to 100 of those focused on repairing broken water mains, Stephanson told Coun. Doug Blanc. If such breaks dried up, there would still be plenty of repair work the department could do to underground infrastructure since “the list is quite extensive.”

“I totally trust administration on this. I know that they know what we need to do for the work that has to be done,” said Coun. Heather Eby, who did not favour retendering this project. “We want the work done in our city done effectively and safely and as efficiently as possible.”

Some of the biggest concerns Coun. Kim Robinson heard during the municipal election campaign was maintaining infrastructure and roads. He supported this purchase, especially if it made the work safer and more efficient.

The next regular council meeting is Monday, Feb. 1.

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