MONROE - Monroe's new water and wastewater utilities' administration building will be furnished and outfitted with essential communication equipment, thanks to a very narrow vote by the Common Council Tuesday, Feb. 4.
The water and wastewater administrations are expected to move into the new facility after mid-March, according to Director of Public Works Colin Simpson.
The Council voted 5-4 to allow the utilities to spend up to $90,000 from their capital replacement funds for furniture, a VoIP phone system, radio and communication equipment, and other items.
Voting against the expenditures were Michael Boyce, Tyler Schultz, Chris Beer and Brooke Bauman.
The two largest line item expenditures were furniture for $37,000 and the VoIP phones, equipment and 5-year service agreement for $40,000.
Through discussion with department heads and members of the Board of Public Works, council members discovered the furniture was chosen by Simpson to fit the changing needs and specific spaces in the administration rooms.
The phone system was also not bid specifically for the building, because it will tie into the city's current VoIP phone system, updated just last year, according to Police Chief Fred Kelley. The same vendor was chosen to extend the system into the utilities' building. Kelley also noted that $10,000 of the phone system expense was for a 5-year service contract.
From building to office space
According to a memo from Simpson to the Board of Public Works prior to its meeting Monday, Feb. 3, the anticipated price of $36,800 for Hon brand office furniture is from EBI of Madison, which is part of the Wisconsin State bid for supplying office furniture to state offices. Simpson recommended EBI for being "favorable for overall price" as well as for supplying an extended warranty.
Simpson chose "training tables" in lieu of standard desks, with flipping tops and nesting capability, which can be gathered to create conference tables or rearranged for use in classrooms or as individual work spaces. They are lower in cost than a standard desk unit, he noted.
Several existing desk units will be re-used in record storage and SCADA rooms of the new building.
Other new items, such as wall clocks, garbage cans and a coffee maker could add as much as $1,000 to the expenses. Miscellaneous office items form the current admin buildings will also be used.
A 24-inch countertop is planned for the perimeter of the admin office, providing corner desk space for four people and space for a fifth person, if needed. The counter top is intended to reduce dead space normally created between standard desk units. Quotes were sought for the countertop, with Bruni-Miller able to provide both the countertop and installation for $3,500
For a total cost of $40,800, Meridian IT will provide the equipment and installation of the VoIP telephones, cabling, server racking and service agreement, as recommended by the city IT staff.
As part of the move to the new administration building, two municipal band short wave radio base units will be required for continued department operations. An antenna tower has already been provided as part of the construction contract, but an antenna unit and two radio tuners will be needed in addition to the completed contract work. City IT staff anticipates the cost of the equipment, which will be supplied from the current vendor Mobile Electronics, will not exceed $4,000.
The city's IT vendor, Computer Know How, recommended two projector units for use with the conference table as well as a secondary projector in the staff work room for daily work planning. The anticipated cost for the two projector units from Computer Know How is $1,347. Additional cost for cabling is not expected to exceed $500.
Fastenal Inc. will be providing several industrial shelving units to the city free of charge as part of a Vendor Managed Inventory system for the majority of stored materials in the new building.
Some of the inventory and spare parts will not be managed by Fastenal, but to keep the inventory management system consistent throughout the operation, and the fact that Fastenal has thoroughly vetted these units for quality and price, according to Simpson, the city will purchase up to four shelving units identical to the units Fastenal provides. Each shelving unit is expected to cost about $500.
The water and wastewater administrations are expected to move into the new facility after mid-March, according to Director of Public Works Colin Simpson.
The Council voted 5-4 to allow the utilities to spend up to $90,000 from their capital replacement funds for furniture, a VoIP phone system, radio and communication equipment, and other items.
Voting against the expenditures were Michael Boyce, Tyler Schultz, Chris Beer and Brooke Bauman.
The two largest line item expenditures were furniture for $37,000 and the VoIP phones, equipment and 5-year service agreement for $40,000.
Through discussion with department heads and members of the Board of Public Works, council members discovered the furniture was chosen by Simpson to fit the changing needs and specific spaces in the administration rooms.
The phone system was also not bid specifically for the building, because it will tie into the city's current VoIP phone system, updated just last year, according to Police Chief Fred Kelley. The same vendor was chosen to extend the system into the utilities' building. Kelley also noted that $10,000 of the phone system expense was for a 5-year service contract.
From building to office space
According to a memo from Simpson to the Board of Public Works prior to its meeting Monday, Feb. 3, the anticipated price of $36,800 for Hon brand office furniture is from EBI of Madison, which is part of the Wisconsin State bid for supplying office furniture to state offices. Simpson recommended EBI for being "favorable for overall price" as well as for supplying an extended warranty.
Simpson chose "training tables" in lieu of standard desks, with flipping tops and nesting capability, which can be gathered to create conference tables or rearranged for use in classrooms or as individual work spaces. They are lower in cost than a standard desk unit, he noted.
Several existing desk units will be re-used in record storage and SCADA rooms of the new building.
Other new items, such as wall clocks, garbage cans and a coffee maker could add as much as $1,000 to the expenses. Miscellaneous office items form the current admin buildings will also be used.
A 24-inch countertop is planned for the perimeter of the admin office, providing corner desk space for four people and space for a fifth person, if needed. The counter top is intended to reduce dead space normally created between standard desk units. Quotes were sought for the countertop, with Bruni-Miller able to provide both the countertop and installation for $3,500
For a total cost of $40,800, Meridian IT will provide the equipment and installation of the VoIP telephones, cabling, server racking and service agreement, as recommended by the city IT staff.
As part of the move to the new administration building, two municipal band short wave radio base units will be required for continued department operations. An antenna tower has already been provided as part of the construction contract, but an antenna unit and two radio tuners will be needed in addition to the completed contract work. City IT staff anticipates the cost of the equipment, which will be supplied from the current vendor Mobile Electronics, will not exceed $4,000.
The city's IT vendor, Computer Know How, recommended two projector units for use with the conference table as well as a secondary projector in the staff work room for daily work planning. The anticipated cost for the two projector units from Computer Know How is $1,347. Additional cost for cabling is not expected to exceed $500.
Fastenal Inc. will be providing several industrial shelving units to the city free of charge as part of a Vendor Managed Inventory system for the majority of stored materials in the new building.
Some of the inventory and spare parts will not be managed by Fastenal, but to keep the inventory management system consistent throughout the operation, and the fact that Fastenal has thoroughly vetted these units for quality and price, according to Simpson, the city will purchase up to four shelving units identical to the units Fastenal provides. Each shelving unit is expected to cost about $500.