Memorandum

City of Lawrence

Central Maintenance Garage

TO:	Dave Corliss City Manager
FROM:	Steve Stewart Fleet Manager
CC:	Charles Soules Director of Public Works; Tammy Bennett Assistant Director of Public Works; Mark Thiel Assistant Director of Public Works
Date:	12/26/2012
RE:	Grant Opportunities: American Recovery and Reinvestment Act

Please include the following item on the City Commission Agenda for consideration at the 01/03/2013 meeting:

Background Information:

The American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) purpose is to stimulate the economy and to create and retain jobs. The City participated in this grant in 2009 and purchased a low speed neighborhood vehicle for use at the Waste Water Plant.

Kansas City Region Clean Cities Coalition manages this grant. Some funding remains from projects not completed by other agencies. Staff has researched the funding and would like to apply for funds to expand the City’s use of compressed natural gas as a fuel source for some fleet vehicles.

Under this Area of Interest funds are being offered for cost-shared projects that expand the use of alternative fueled vehicles and fueling infrastructure.

Current Status:

The Solid Waste and Street Divisions of the Public Works would like to request funding for two compressed natural gas time fill stations to be located at 1120 Haskell Avenue and on the Parks Department property just north of the Central Maintenance Garage. The grant will fund fifty percent of the cost of the stations and installation.

Incremental charges for natural gas powered vehicles are also covered by the grant. Staff plans to request funding from the grant for the natural gas option on three vehicles, a street sweeper, a front load refuse truck and a roll-off type refuse truck.

Funding: 

Funding for the fueling stations would come from the Solid Waste Fund. The estimated cost of the two stations is $60,000.00 The City’s share will be $30,000.00.

The three trucks requested have been approved in the capital equipment lines of the 2013 operating budgets for Street Division and Solid Waste. 

Incremental charges for natural gas in the street sweeper are $60,000.00 Incremental cost of natural gas in the front load refuse truck is $42,000.00 and in the roll-off truck is $30,000.00. These costs are all covered by the grant

Action Request:

We are requesting authorization to pursue this grant. Applications need to be received by KCRCC no later than January 5, 2013.