Richland County commissioners approved the sole road-salt bid from Morton Salt Co. of Chicago for the county's winter supply, according to an Aug. 27 report by Richland Source. The agreement covers up to 6,700 tons priced at $93.18 per ton and extends to local government entities across the county, though Mansfield, Shelby and Washington Township are excluded because they pursue their own contracts, according to County Engineer Adam Gove.
Participating governments must purchase a minimum of 90 percent of the tonnage allocated to them, Gove said. He met with local officials and reduced the request from an original 18,000 tons to 6,700 tons, changes he credited with drawing a bid after an earlier solicitation produced none in July.
Separately, commissioners approved a state contract earlier in August for 3,500 tons at $92 per ton to treat the county's 347 miles of road. That procurement required three solicitations through the Ohio Department of Transportation before a supplier responded, and the salt will be staged at an ODOT outpost near I-71 and Ohio 97 for the county to collect and distribute.
Gove described the delivered price as favorable relative to what the state encountered. He said he hopes the arrangement resolves supply concerns for most of the county, contingent on the contract being awarded and signed. The report said Mansfield had scheduled its separate bid opening for Sept. 11; it did not report that outcome.