A second try yielded two used trucks for county departments.
Mitch Garner, public works director, and Mark Griffith, road and bridge director, asked county commissioners to approve the purchase of a used truck for each of their departments.
The previous week, Garner told commissioners he’d come up short when seeking four trucks, two for each department. Dealerships did not supply bids, citing supply chain issues.
Commissioners suggested he search for individual, used trucks.
Garner found four used trucks that would meet his needs, three from Shields Motor Co. in Chanute and one from Iola’s Twin Motors. Commissioners wanted to buy local, so they approved the 2019 Ford F150 for $43,500, which was also the lowest bid.
Griffith had more specific needs with a “work package” that features rubber floors, as he said his job can get a little dirty. That led to just one bid, for a 2019 Ford 150 for $42,200 from Twin Motors.
None of the area dealerships had three-quarter ton pickups; each of the two departments still needs one.
Commissioners said they would have preferred more time to think about the purchases, but with the recent lack of inventory, they decided it best to approve the requests immediately.
The departments had set aside money for the trucks in this year’s budget.
COMMISSIONERS also talked to Griffith about the county’s rock crushing machine and plans for chip and seal work over the summer.
The beleaguered rock crusher is down again, Griffith said.
He asked a group of specialists to examine the machine recently, and learned the screens need to be replaced. Some of the springs have gone bad as well.
“I told them, I don’t care about what happened in the past. Just give me something that works,” Griffith said.
Because of the problems with the rock crusher, the county likely will need to buy rock chips in order to do its chip and seal work for the summer. Griffith obtained a quote of $12 per ton; it takes about 214 tons per mile.
Griffith asked commissioners if the county needs to ask cities to contribute to those unexpected costs. Most of the affected cities, such as LaHarpe, Gas, Humboldt and Moran, will need only a mile or two.
Commissioners suggest he propose sharing the costs, and speak to cities about their needs.
