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Commissioners debate buying used motor grader to ease county road work; decision tabled for further research
Summary
County road staff proposed buying a used 2018-era motor grader for about $127,003.87 to improve maintenance capacity. Commissioners discussed financing, an extended-warranty option, staffing costs and possible funding sources and decided to table the purchase for more analysis.
Wayne (road department staff) told the Griggs County Commission on Oct. 6 that the county still shows a $382,161.68 residual owed on earlier motor-grader leases and that RDO Equipment had offered county staff the option to buy one of three used machines for $127,003.87 each.
Wayne said the county has been attempting to get graders to Moorhead for repair and that having an additional machine would allow the county to cover more roads and to keep a spare when other machines require maintenance. RDO’s financing options from the vendor were discussed: a three-year plan of about $48,325 per year, four years at roughly $37,004 per year, or five years at about $30,008.65 per year.
A vendor-recommended extended warranty was presented as another option. Wayne reported RDO could offer a powertrain-and-hydraulics warranty covering 24 months or 3,000 hours for $25,000, payable up front; the warranty would not cover the entire machine.
Commissioners raised staffing and operating-cost questions. Road personnel estimated a new full-time operator would cost roughly $80,000 annually when salary, benefits and related costs are included. Commissioners and staff discussed potential funding sources: reallocating gravel or legacy funds, using “prairie dog” funds for gravel and road projects, federal-aid fund restrictions (the 15-05 account) and a county road special-projects fund. Wayne suggested that using gravel or other restricted funds could free budget lines to contribute toward equipment purchases.
Commissioners and staff also compared marketplace prices for comparable used graders and expressed reservations about a vendor warranty priced at $25,000 given the machines’ low hours and the county’s fiscal constraints. Wayne and commissioners agreed to research additional warranty vendors, financing alternatives, and internal budget reallocations before making a purchase decision. The commission did not approve the purchase and agreed to table the item for further study; staff were asked to return with more detailed financing scenarios, warranty comparisons and funding plan options.
No formal purchase motion was approved at the Oct. 6 meeting; commissioners discussed the idea and directed staff to gather additional information and return to the commission.
