Jackson County Board of Directors members voted June 9 to set aside the county’s interest in a vendor proposal to replace two failing refuse trucks, approving a plan that would cover a $116,000 difference to acquire two L770 chassis and return the two existing T480 chassis to the vendor.

The move follows months of maintenance problems on the existing trucks, including repeated brake overheating and sheared bolts, that the county said were worsened by mountainous routes. The vendor proposed to buy back the two T480 chassis “for a 100% of the cost that you guys spent on the truck” and sell two L770 chassis to the county at a discounted package price; the vendor representative said the package price would leave the county responsible for $116,000.

The proposal was outlined to the board by Pete, a Truck Works representative, who said the dealer’s owner, Will Bruiser, authorized the offer. Pete said the plan would reuse the county’s existing bodies on the new chassis and have a body-builder swap pumps, PTOs and wiring harnesses. The vendor estimated a swap time of “2 to 4 weeks” per truck but cautioned that parts availability could lengthen the work. The vendor also said it planned to remarket the old chassis as dump-truck chassis after the body swaps.

Caleb, a county sanitation staff member, described the brake failures the crews have experienced and confirmed the department has two backup trucks to cover service while any body swaps occur. Matthew, a county finance/staff speaker, told the board the Solid Waste Fund shows approximately $200,000 in unallocated balance that could be used for the purchase.

Board members asked practical questions about downtime, front- and rear-brake configurations and whether the proposed L770s include engine brakes. The vendor said the L770s being offered are the refuse-application version of a tandem-axle cab that Peterbilt/Kenworth/PACCAR produce and that the county’s requested bodies would be compatible with the new chassis.

The board made and seconded a motion to “set aside the goods” and authorize acquisition under the vendor’s terms; the chair called the motion carried by voice vote.

The vendor asked the county for a prompt decision so the body-builder could proceed; the board did not set a specific completion deadline beyond the vendor’s 2–4 week estimate and noted the schedule could change if parts are delayed. The county indicated it will continue routine service using backup trucks during the swap process.

Proper names, key figures and next steps are now recorded for follow-up: the vendor proposal, the $116,000 net cost to the county, the availability of roughly $200,000 in the Solid Waste Fund and the vendor’s estimated 2–4 week body-swap timeline.