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Commission approves highway purchases and delays a culvert replacement pending full project study
Summary
The commission approved multiple highway department expenditures — paying a chips vendor, buying a used bucket truck and ordering winter salt — and voted to defer a permanent culvert replacement until a full study and next‑summer construction can be scheduled.
Ramsey County commissioners approved a package of highway department purchases and project payments and voted to postpone a permanent culvert replacement after engineers recommended a larger design and additional study.
The board approved payment of $34,629.01 to Gowon for Class 42 chips and accepted $62,718.42 in FEMA relief funds as reimbursement for prior outlays, both actions recorded by roll call. Road department staff asked for a motion to purchase a used 2006 International bucket truck in Fargo for $28,000; the commission approved that purchase by roll call.
Why it matters: The purchases affect equipment and winter operations capacity (salt and chip purchases, a bucket truck for signing and work near crossings) as well as reimbursement of past emergency spending.
Key procurement and project votes recorded on the transcript included: - Payment to Gowon for Class 42 chips, $34,629.01 (motion approved by roll call). - Acceptance of FEMA relief reimbursement, $62,718.42 (noted as reimbursement of earlier expenses). - Purchase of a used 2006 International bucket truck, $28,000 (motion approved by roll call). - Ordering seasonal crushed salt (minimum 60‑ton initial order, sold in 30‑ton increments) from NCS Minerals (motion approved). - Acceptance of a contractor bid for a 37×50 slab for a new self‑storage facility, $19,887.50 (motion approved). - Approval of four Department of Transportation invoices for county emergency relief (CER) projects (motion approved by roll call). - Payment to Tristate Paving, $37,370 (motion approved by roll call). - Approval of a change order to replace two signs (motion approved).
On a separate but related agenda item, the commission considered a request from landowner David Thompson for a culvert change on the Ramsey‑Nelson county line. Road staff and KLJ engineering told the commission the existing culvert was “way too high” and that a permanent replacement would require an arch pipe oversized for current flows and could take up to a year to design and procure. Road staff said a quoted temporary fix would cost $5,500 but might duplicate costs of the permanent installation; commissioners voted to defer a temporary repair and proceed with a full project for next summer. The motion to wait on a temporary fix and plan the full replacement carried on a voice vote.
Staff and contractors on the record said equipment and material purchases were budgeted and available; the bucket truck purchase drew discussion about equipping the vehicle after purchase. The transcript shows roll calls for multiple highway items indicating unanimous support for the listed purchases.
No additional hearings or external approvals were required for the purchases noted on the record; the culvert replacement will be scheduled following further study and coordination with the water board and neighboring Nelson County.
