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Bannock County approves up to $18,000 to buy ATV with plow for winter work
Summary
The Board of County Commissioners authorized up to $18,000 from this year’s budget to purchase a Honda Pioneer utility vehicle with accessories for snow and small-area maintenance, after staff described reliability problems with the existing vehicle and estimated accessory costs.
Bannock County commissioners voted Tuesday to allow county staff to buy a utility terrain vehicle with a snow plow and related accessories, approving up to $18,000 from this year’s budget.
The request came from a county public-works staff member, who said the department’s current ATV has had transmission problems for three winters and that losing the machine would leave crews “in bad shape.” The staff member said funds are available in the current budget under building repairs and special projects.
A shop employee identified as Buddy told commissioners the county’s preferred model is a Honda Pioneer 520 with a 50-inch width, and that accessories would be needed to make it suitable for winter work. He gave preliminary accessory estimates of about $500 for a heater, $600 for a soft cab, $500 for a front windshield, and roughly $1,200–$1,500 for a winch and plow; a hard cab was estimated at $2,500–$3,000 if the county chose that option.
Commissioners and staff discussed total costs. Staff said the machine’s out-the-door price is about $11,020 (including freight, dock fee and registration) from a dealer in Arco; staff later estimated total package costs in the mid-to-high $10,000s and described an expected total “somewhere around $17,000” if a hard surround and accessories are included. One commissioner proposed authorizing up to $18,000 to avoid returning to the board for final accessory choices.
A commissioner moved to approve the purchase up to $18,000 from the current year’s budget; the motion passed with the board’s affirmative votes. The motion included authority to finalize accessory purchases and for county shop staff to perform installation.
Commissioners and staff said the shop will perform setup and installation. Staff also said the Honda’s low-end torque makes it better suited than some comparably sized alternatives for pushing and plowing in tight spaces. No formal procurement contract or vendor was named during the discussion.
The board’s approval was limited to the funds described; staff did not announce a vendor award date or timeline beyond the authorization to proceed and to return if costs exceed the approved limit.
