CITY OF GRAND JUNCTION, COLORADO

RESOLUTION NO. 52-17

A RESOLUTION AUTHORIZING THE CITY MANAGER TO SUBMIT A GRANT REQUEST TO THE MESA COUNTY FEDERAL MINERAL LEASE DISTRICT FOR REPLACEMENT OF HAZARDOUS CHEMICAL IDENTIFICATION EQUIPMENT

RECITALS.

At its September 6, 2017 meeting the City Council considered and for the reasons stated, authorizes an application for a grant to replace the Grand Junction Fire Department's HazMatID Elite chemical identifier.

The existing HazMatID chemical identifier was purchased in 2004, is well past its life expectancy and is the only one of its kind regularly positioned on the western slope.

The HazMatID Elite chemical identifier is a next-generation handheld unknown solid and liquid chemical identifier that performs analysis in one minute or less.  The identifier is used by hazardous materials teams to analyze unknown substances in order to determine appropriate protective clothing to be used when handling the unknown substance and determine the most appropriate means to collect and dispose of the material.

Chemical analysis is performed by placing a small solid or liquid sample in the handheld unit and the chemical make-up of the sample is compared against a list of known chemicals in the equipment's database.  It is this analysis that can be used to identify an unknown substance so that proper steps can be taken to safely collect and dispose of the solid or liquid. The chemical inventory database in this new unit is updated to include a wider range of known chemicals from the current HazMatID and contains an advanced software package for data management and spectral reprocessing against 35,000 chemical spectra.

The Grand Junction Fire Department is the Designated Emergency Response Authority (DERA) for Mesa County through a contractual agreement with Mesa County.  As the DERA, the fire department shall provide emergency hazardous substance response services to all of Mesa County and take actions necessary to minimize the effects or threat of adverse effects of the incident on human health or the environment.  The HazMatID Elite handheld chemical identifier will be used to identify the unknown substances in accordance with this requirement to provide safety to the responders, the community, and the environment.

The total estimated equipment cost is $59,950.00 and has been requested in the 2018 fire department budget.  If awarded the grant would pay $50,000 and the fire department would make up the balance of $9,950.00 through funds requested in the 2018 budget.

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT the City Council of the City of Grand Junction supports and authorized submittal of a grant request to the Mesa County Federal Mineral Lease District for $50,000 for replacement of Hazardous Chemicals Identification Equipment, in accordance with and pursuant to the recitals stated above and authorizes the City Manager to enter into a grant agreement with MCFMLD if the grant is awarded.

PASSED and ADOPTED this 6^th day of September, 2017.

/s/ J. Merrick Taggart  

President of the City Council

ATTEST:

/s/ W. Winkelmann    

City Clerk