Paradise council backs up on front end loader purchase

By Mark Squibb/February 17, 2023

During last week’s public meeting Paradise town council approved the purchase of new two front-end loaders.

But first, council had to rescind a motion approving a bid from the prior public meeting pertaining to the same contract as staff had discovered after the fact that the bid was non-compliant.

During the January 24 meeting, council voted to buy two front end loaders with snow clearing attachments from Wayjax for the quoted tender price of $903,877, HST included.

Council rescinded that motion and voted to approve the next lowest bid, Reefer Repair at roughly $919,000, including tax.

A brief discussion followed the motion.

“Your Worship, we only voted in the last public council meeting to award this contract for two new loaders to Wayjax and we now seem to be rescinding that motion because the bid was non-compliant,” noted councillor Glen Carew. “I’m just wondering what the reason for the non-compliance was and why it was not vetted before we awarded this contract two weeks ago.”

Councillor Patrick Martin explained that a non-compliance issue missed by staff during the review process was discovered before the award letter was delivered. He also noted the bidder’s specifications were non-compliant as well.

Carew asked if there was an estimated delivery time for the new vehicles. Martin said he could find out that information at the next Public Works committee meeting.

Councillor Larry Vaters noted he had more or less intended to ask the same question as Carew in regards to how a non-compliant bid was brought to chambers to be approved.

The motion to rescind the previous motion and approve the new one both passed unanimously.

Council also approved extensive repairs for a 2011 front-end loader, including replacements of the muffler and brake, in the amount of $27,000.

Councillor Vaters asked how long the work would extend the shelf life of the vehicle. Councillor Martin did not have that information on hand but said he would get it.

Vaters also asked if, in general, these types of repairs were subject to a bid process, whether the vehicles are repaired by the manufacturer, or whether staff choose a company to take on the work. Martin noted that in this case, it was the dealer that had undertaken the repairs, as they were too extensive to be performed in-house.

The motion to send the vehicle in for repairs passed unanimously.