Marshall Municipal Board of Public Works met Tuesday, May 13, to approve the purchase of electric production Unit No. 5 controls and a wheel loader to move coal at the power plant.

MMU is working on a project to convert controls for Unit No. 5; the bid specifications were for Allen-Bradley equipment.

The board awarded the bid to SMC Electric of Sedalia for $35,049.82. SEGA Inc. of Stilwell, Kan., returned a bid of $38,326.75.

On Tuesday, March 11, the board approved hiring SEGA Engineering of Overland Park, Kans., to upgrade boiler controls on Unit No. 5 for a not-to-exceed price of $125,000.

MMU personnel met with SEGA to discuss upgrade of the combustion controls for Units No. 4 and No. 5.

SEGA is an engineering firm that specializes in these types of projects.

"They are familiar with our boilers and control systems," said Electric Production Director Jim Johnson on March 11. "We believe using them would be our best approach to this project because of their experience.

"We would work together with SEGA on the project and utilize in-house skills and labor as much as possible to help reduce costs," Johnson said.

"We believe the best approach would be to pay SEGA their hourly rates and expense basis with a not-to-exceed price for each phase of the project."

MMU decided to upgrade only Unit No. 5 at this time. Unit No. 4 will be converted in the near future, mainly using MMU's own personnel.

Johnson said the replacement of controls on Unit No. 5 would probably take place in October.

"We estimate there will be approximately $20,000 for additional equipment needed to complete the installation," Johnson said.

The additional equipment includes touch screens, software and other electrical equipment.

The board decided in February to seek bids for a wheel loader, also known as a front-end loader. This item is a budgeted for $135,000.

At the meeting May 13, the board awarded the bid for a Case 621E to Victor L. Phillips Company of Kansas City for $108,817 with a 5-year warranty of $4,354 additional.

The company offered a trade-in value of $36,300 for the old loader. MMU accepted the trade-in value bringing the grand total to $76,871.

Johnson said the warranty was important because of "the way we will use (the loader) over the next five years and the conditions it will be used in."

Johnson told the board Feb. 26 that the existing loader needed to be replaced because of its age, increased maintenance costs and the need for its reliability. The old loader is a 1997 model with approximately 7,000 hours of operation.

Johnson said the loader is used to haul about 12 to 15 loads a day, moving about 500 tons of coal a day, including using it to move coal into piles.

In other business, Employee Relations Manager Megan Baldridge said the background check was completed on the potential candidate for the safety and training officer.

Hiring the individual is pending pre-employment drug screening and physical results.

She told the board another position for underground facilities system operator was filled by Grant Piper, which leaves only one remaining from the four positions created in February 2007.

Caleb Griffitt started May 12 in the open position of electric distribution electrician. MMU has also hired an environmental services water treatment plant operator who will start May 19.

The next board meeting will be Tuesday, May 27, at 8:30 a.m.

Contact Rachel Harper at marshallcity@socket.net