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Todd County approves solid-waste change orders, new loader, furniture and STEP contract
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Summary
The Todd County Board authorized two CAP grant change orders, purchased office furniture and a Bobcat wheel loader for the new transfer station, and renewed a contract with STEP for recycling labor during its April 1 meeting.
Todd County commissioners on April 1 authorized several solid-waste spending items tied to the county's new transfer station and ongoing operations.
The board approved CAP grant change order No. 1 for the High-Tech contract covering four previously discussed adjustments, totaling $120,182.74, and authorized staff to sign the change order. Solid Waste Director Mike (last name not specified) told the board the cost figures matched the work-session discussion and that funding would come from contingency and CAP grant project monies. A motion to authorize the director to sign the change order passed by voice vote.
The board also approved CAP grant change order No. 2 to install interior liner panels at the transfer-station building and to add 1.5 inches of conduit from the electrical room to each scale. The recommended contract amount was $65,595.89 (the director explained the itemized quote came in lower than an earlier estimate). The board voted to authorize the director to sign change order No. 2.
Commissioners voted to award a bid of $29,062.91 to Innovative Office Solutions for office furniture for the new scale-house office; the project will use grant and ARPA dollars and is being coordinated with facilities to reuse existing shelving and other items where practical.
The board approved purchase of a Bobcat L95 wheel loader through Farm-Rite for a net price of $76,091.23 after a $15,500 trade-in for an S550 Bobcat. The director said the L95 will be used in daily transfer-station operations, snow removal and compost loading and will replace the need to buy separate pieces of equipment. He said tariff-driven price changes contributed to the final cost.
Separately, the board approved renewing the county's contract with STEP (the recycling work program) for approximately $150,000 for 2025 to continue having STEP clients perform recycling-sorting duties at the material recovery facility; the board heard the renewal reflects Minnesota minimum-wage increases and is funded through fund 51.
Why it matters: The approved change orders and equipment purchases are part of the county's work to open the new transfer station this summer and to keep daily solid-waste operations running while managing costs. The STEP contract keeps a long-standing local job-training partnership in place.
During discussion commissioners asked whether quoted amounts matched the work-session numbers and pressed staff on budget sources; staff said the items are budgeted and will use contingency, CAP grant project money, enterprise capital equipment funds and ARPA/other departmental funds as specified.
The board approved all solid-waste items by voice vote or roll call where recorded. The board asked staff to continue coordinating with facilities to reuse existing furniture and to document any changes to the recommended items.
Ending: The solid-waste approvals clear the way for final procurement and construction steps at the transfer station ahead of its planned mid-summer opening.
