When: Martic Township supervisors meeting, Nov. 1.
What happened: Township supervisors were not happy to learn that a signed contract for a new public works vehicle through the state’s cooperative buying program was canceled.
Background: In July, supervisors, under the recommendation of the township’s road master, Dave Williams, approved the purchase of a 2022 Peterbilt dump truck with plow and salt spreader through COSTARS for $172,655. COSTARS is the state’s cooperative purchasing program that allows municipalities to obtain competitively priced equipment without having to go to bid. The purchase was approved in July to avoid delays caused by pandemic-related shortages and rising costs.
What’s happened since: Williams informed supervisors that he was notified through COSTARS that the original contract to purchase the dump truck was canceled by the vendor in October. The loss of the contract placed the township in a difficult position. Not only would the township have to start from scratch in obtaining a new contract, increasing delays in equipment purchasing means the township might not obtain the truck in 2022 as planned and might have to wait until 2023 for the vehicle.
Response from COSTARS: Following several telephone calls and emails, Troy Thompson, spokesperson for the Pennsylvania Department of General Services, which oversees the COSTARS program, said on Nov. 19 that the canceled contract was unavoidable. “The vendor that Martic contracted with for the new truck was not at fault,” he said.
Quotable: “Peterbilt, the manufacturer of the dump truck, oversold vehicles beyond their production capabilities. That led to widespread cancellations with several municipalities, including Martic,” Thompson said Nov. 19.
What’s next: Thompson said municipalities, including Martic, will have to start the ordering process over again and will most likely face higher contract prices in addition to lengthy delays. Thompson confirmed that orders for municipal vehicles like the one Martic contracted for may not be available until well into 2023.
Martic trestle update: Supervisors said that reconstruction of the Martic Forge bridge deck destroyed in a fire in 2018 is progressing on schedule, but they expressed disappointment at the lack of communication from Wilson Consulting Group of Mechanicsburg and the general contractor for the project, J.D. Eckman Inc. of Atglen. J.D. Eckman was able to shave off nearly $70,000 in construction costs by removing an unneeded catwalk from the deck, but another issue arose that necessitated a change order. Supervisors learned that J.D. Eckman had to wait more than a week for a response on the change order from Wilson. Supervisor Chairman Duane Sellers said that delay was unacceptable.
What’s next: The supervisors will meet next at 7 p.m. Dec. 6 at the township office.
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