In a recent government meeting, the discussion centered around the approval of a material surcharge for a single axle dump truck purchased by the county. County engineer Angie Kirsten detailed the procurement process, which began in April 2021, when bids were solicited for a new truck. The total cost for the truck, including the chassis and dump body with snow equipment, amounted to $163,950.

However, the project faced significant delays, with the chassis completed in February 2023 and the truck delivered in October 2023. During this time, the supplier, Tri State Truck Equipment, encountered increased costs for materials and labor, leading to a request for an additional $12,250 in surcharges. The owner of Tri State explained that the hydraulic system and dump body costs had risen significantly, alongside labor rate increases from $85 to $110 per hour.

After discussions with the supplier and internal consultations, the county agreed to pay $8,000 of the requested surcharge, contingent on approval from the Board of Supervisors. This decision was influenced by the ongoing inflation trends and the county's previous experiences with similar surcharges for other equipment.

Supervisors expressed concerns about the precedent set by allowing surcharges after the contract was signed, with suggestions for future contracts to explicitly prohibit such additional costs. The county continues to face challenges with heavy-duty truck manufacturing delays, with new orders expected to take until 2025 for delivery. The meeting underscored the complexities of public procurement in the face of rising costs and supply chain issues.