Commission authorizes maintenance work on county loader and compactor, approves three vendor quotes

The Mercer County Commission approved three maintenance expenditures for road equipment during its meeting.

First, commissioners approved an emergency-style transmission service for the county loader at $1,910. The county road supervisor told commissioners the work is routine for the loader transmission and that vendor travel costs factor into the price; commissioners voted to approve the $1,910 charge.

The commission also approved repairs to a compactor/compactive unit. One motion approved a $12,007.10 invoice for removing a wheel and axle-housing assembly, with authorization to add brake repairs if needed rather than returning for a second approval. Commissioners said travel costs make doing both sides at once more economical. The motion as recorded authorized the $12,007.10 amount and included the conditional allowance for additional brake-related work.

Later in the discussion, commissioners approved a separate, larger maintenance package for the loader priced at $22,000. Staff said that package would include a rebuild of hydraulics and added value items including $10,000 in “value-added” credits toward filters, oil and similar maintenance and a multi-year warranty; commissioners voted to approve that package as presented.

Commissioners discussed timing and logistics: the vendor may perform multiple repairs during a single trip (to reduce travel costs), some work will be performed on-site with boom trucks, and parts testing may determine exact final costs for brakes and bearings. Commissioners who asked for clarification sought assurance that vendors would replace worn seals and inspect brakes when the assemblies are disassembled.

Votes were recorded on each motion; the roll-call results were recorded in the meeting minutes.