Vendor’s fuel error leaves Lake in the Hills with $320,000 repair bill

Lake in the Hills officials say a vendor accidentally delivered the wrong variety of fuel, resulting more than $320,600 in repair costs for public works vehicles that were damaged.

Director of Public Works Ryan McDillon said the fuel provider accidentally filled the public works diesel fuel tank with 850 gallons of unleaded gas shortly before a winter storm.

The incorrect fuel got into about two dozen public works vehicles. During the storm, multiple vehicles “began to exhibit loss of power” and dashboard error codes, McDillon said.

Fleet maintenance staff were able to identify the mistake and began draining and replacing fuel in the fleet. McDillon said quick action by the public works staff prevented a what could have been a “catastrophic” failure of the snow removal fleet.

McDillon said the village staff worked with Bull Valley Ford and Rush Truck Centers to get repair quotes and possible long-term maintenance issues for an insurance claim.

According to village documents, the village submitted the quotes they got as an insurance claim to vendor Avalon Petroleum, but the claim is still pending.

In the meantime, the trucks have been rotating in and out of Bull Valley Ford to go through the recommended contaminated fuel protocol, McDillon said.

The village is engaged in ongoing communication with Avalon Petroleum and the company’s insurance carrier, as well as the Intergovernmental Risk Management Agency and the village’s law firm, McDillon said.

The village board briefly discussed the topic before passing approved the repair payments in a 6-0 vote.

McDillon said the fuel mixup was the first one of its kind in his tenure with the village. The fuel contract also is up this year, McDillon said, adding the village will go out to bid, as is routine for large contracts. Avalon is welcome to participate, he said.

A message left for Avalon Petroleum was not returned.