Monday, June 11, 2012
The state and many Iowa cities and counties have been topping off salt supplies for winter even before summer officially arrives later this month.
The past winter was a mild one, so many of the cities have plenty of salt left over. And they're finding relative bargains when officials go shopping to stock up for the coming winter.
For example, the Urbandale City Council has agreed to buy salt for just under $56 a ton from Kansas-based Hutchinson Salt Co., a price that was 14 percent less than the average price the city paid last year.
The Iowa Transportation Department told The Des Moines Register that the state is still buying salt under an old contracted price, but officials say the price will drop under a new purchasing agreement.
