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Chickasaw County approves bridge contracts, DOT agreement and multiple equipment purchases
Summary
The Chickasaw County Board of Supervisors approved two bridge-material contracts, accepted a federal-aid bridge agreement and authorized several vehicle and equipment purchases during its April 21 meeting, county engineers said.
Chickasaw County supervisors on April 21 approved contracts to replace two small county bridges, authorized an Iowa Department of Transportation federal-aid agreement for a third bridge and approved several vehicle and equipment purchases to support secondary roads operations.
County Engineer Ron Munson recommended awarding a structural-steel supply contract and a precast concrete box contract after receiving multiple bids. Munson told the board he recommended awarding the steel contract to Skyline Steel/Nucor for $91,537.50 and awarding precast box work to Minowa Construction for $125,910.
The board also approved a Federal-Aid Agreement from the Iowa Department of Transportation (BROS CL19120-8J-19) covering a bridge on Vanderbilt Avenue (bridge number 2000). Munson said the county will initially spend locally and be reimbursed by the DOT program, a standard arrangement for the Highway Bridge Program.
In a separate block of motions, supervisors approved four purchases under the county purchase policy to be used in FY26: a sign truck from Aspen Equipment for $240,000, a half-ton pickup from Carl Auto Group for $47,424.30, a one-ton (3/4–1 ton class) pickup from Carl Auto for $47,009.16, and a Ziegler CAT mini excavator for $75,008.25.
Munson described the steel award as part of two adjacent bridge replacements on North Little Turkey and Windsor avenues and said, “I do recommend awarding the project and authorizing me to sign the contracts with Skyline Steel slash Nucor in the amount $91,537.50.” He said crews will build the structures and that the county will prioritize the Windsor Avenue bridge for replacement before other nearby work starts to reduce detour impacts.
On the precast box culvert, Munson noted this is a B22 location the county wanted replaced ahead of planned paving, and that precast box pricing appears to have stabilized since spikes during the COVID period. He recommended awarding the contract to Minowa Construction at the low bid.
The federal-aid agreement covers a 50-foot slab design for the Vanderbilt Avenue bridge. Munson said the county has used this reimbursement process on three other bridges this year and described it as “pretty standard” for projects funded through Highway Bridge Program dollars administered by the DOT.
Purchasing staff and secondary-roads leadership told the board that several pieces of replacement equipment have long lead times and operational needs that justified immediate ordering. The sign truck purchase was driven by an aging 2004 vehicle with multiple frame and hydraulic issues and an eight-month expected delivery window. Staff recommended the Aspen Equipment Mac unit because it accommodates the county’s catwalk, crane and hauling needs.
On the mini excavator, staff presented three quotes and recommended the Ziegler CAT unit, citing local dealer support, parts availability and the county’s existing diagnostic tools compatible with CAT equipment.
All items were approved by voice vote with no recorded dissents.
Votes at a glance
- Award contract for supply and delivery of structural steel to Skyline Steel/Nucor — recommended amount $91,537.50; outcome: approved. - Award contract for precast concrete box culvert to Minowa Construction — recommended amount $125,910; outcome: approved. - Approve Iowa Department of Transportation Federal-Aid Agreement BROS CL19120-8J-19 (Vanderbilt Avenue / bridge 2000) — outcome: approved. - Purchase sign truck (Aspen Equipment) — $240,000; outcome: approved. - Purchase half-ton pickup (Carl Auto Group) — $47,424.30; outcome: approved. - Purchase one-ton pickup (Carl Auto / 3/4–1 ton class) — $47,009.16; outcome: approved. - Purchase mini excavator (Ziegler CAT) — $75,008.25; outcome: approved.
Why it matters
The awards and purchases cover routine but capital-intensive maintenance and replacement work on county bridges and roads and replenish aging fleet assets. The DOT agreement lets the county proceed on a larger slab bridge project with the expectation of reimbursement, which affects local cash-flow and scheduling for related paving and detour planning.
Additional context and next steps
Munson said construction crews will sequence the work to limit traffic disruption, prioritizing the Windsor Avenue replacement before a larger Vanderbilt-area project begins. Staff noted lead times for specialized vehicles and equipment can push delivery into the next fiscal year if orders are delayed, which informed the board’s decision to approve the purchases now.
Board members and staff discussed potential future capital projects and the possibility of using tax-increment financing (TIF) for a west-end shop/office location previously qualified as blighted; no formal action on that topic was taken at the meeting.
The board recessed and scheduled its next convening for 10:30 a.m. on Monday, April 21.
