Letter to PennDOT Official (Problem 5-54 is from the book Engineering Economic Analysis 12th edition. In this problem we have to choose between two alternatives using capitalized cost to determine which type of road surface is preferred on a particular section of highway. Alternative A has a capital cost of $957,920 whereas alternative B has a capital cost of $1,008,830. Since the cost of alternative A is less it is preferred. A business letter regarding this choice has to be written.)

To demonstrate that engineering decisions must be communicated to someone in the business world, you are assigned two writing exercises. These assignments are to be one page in length and should convey the following information. Each paragraph accomplishes a specific task as follows:

1.) Orient the reader to what you have done and why

2.) Describe the approach to the problem

3.) Give results of your analysis (not the analysis)

4.) Draw conclusions and recommend action

Write a business letter to an appropriate Penn DOT official as if you were assigned the problem of recommending a paving material for a section of highway. Your goal is to choose between two surface materials based on the data given. You are using the capitalized cost method. Use standard business letter format to report your results. You can invent your own business letterhead if you like. You must limit this letter to one page only.

The following transactions and events that occurred in the village of kowitt gorge during the calendar year 2019: 1. the village commissioners adopted the following budget: estimated revenues: property taxes $1,850,000 all other revenues 300,000 total revenues $2,150,000 appropriations: all departments other than police $1,000,000 police—salaries 600,000 police—fringe benefits 450,000 police—supplies 80,000 total appropriations $2,130,000 2. the village received, in cash, property taxes of $1,840,000 and all other revenues of $295,000. 3. the village made cash payments, charging the following appropriations: all departments other than police $1,000,000 police—salaries 595,000 police—fringe benefits 390,000 4. the administrator of fringe benefits received an invoice for police employee health insurance in the amount of $95,000, together with a letter from the insurance provider, explaining that the large increase was caused by a change in federal laws. the invoice could not be paid because the police—fringe benefits appropriation had a balance of only $60,000 (appropriation of $450,000 minus expenditures in item 3 of $390,000). as a result, the village commissioners amended the budget as follows: increase: appropriation for police—fringe benefits $35,000 decrease: appropriation for police—salaries 5,000 decrease: appropriation for police—supplies 25,000 use of fund balance 5,000 5. the village paid the invoice for $95,000, referred to in item 4 above, charging the appropriation for police—fringe benefits. 6. the police department placed po 2019a for firearms in the amount of $30,000 and po 2019b for uniforms in the amount of $20,000, all charged to the appropriation for police—supplies. (enter these pos as one transaction.) 7. after receiving po 2019a, the supplier notified the police department that a change in the design of the weapons would increase the cost to $32,000. the department sent the supplier an amended po, increasing it by $2,000. 8. the police department received the uniforms ordered on po 2019b, together with an invoice for $20,000. the department approved the invoice for payment. record the transactions and events applicable to the appropriations for police—fringe benefits and police—supplies in the following appropriations ledger. notes: use a negative sign with your answers if: 1. the amount entered in the appropriation column is a debit (dr.) rather than a credit (cr.); or 2. the amount entered in the expenditures column is a credit (cr.) rather than a debit ( in the available appropriation column, enter the appropriate balance after every transaction/event, even if a transaction isn't recorded in a particular ledger for that transaction. for transaction 6, enter both purchase orders (pos) as one combined transaction. appropriations ledger appropriation: police - fringe benefits appropriation encumbrances expenditures available transaction cr. dr. cr. dr. appropriation 1 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 2 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 3 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 4 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 5 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 6 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 7 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 8 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 appropriations ledger appropriation: police - supplies appropriation encumbrances expenditures available transaction cr. dr. cr. dr. appropriation 1 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 2 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 3 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 4 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 5 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 6 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 7 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 8 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0 answer 0