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Rice County commissioners approve fleet swaps, award fuel‑island contract and authorize FEMA radiological grant application
Summary
At its Aug. 12 meeting the Rice County Board of Commissioners approved surplus declarations for two social‑services vans, authorized purchase of two replacement Chrysler Pacifica vans, awarded a contract to replace the county fuel island, approved a FEMA radiological preparedness grant application and cleared several routine items by consent.
The Rice County Board of Commissioners on Aug. 12 approved a set of operational and procurement actions including declaring two social‑services vans surplus, buying two replacement passenger vans, awarding a fuel‑island replacement contract and authorizing an application for a federal radiological preparedness grant.
The board voted unanimously to declare two county social‑services Dodge Grand Caravans as surplus: a 2016 Grand Caravan identified as “social services fleet 3‑10” and a February 2019 Grand Caravan identified as “social services fleet 3‑11.” The board then approved purchasing two 2025 Chrysler Pacifica Select all‑wheel‑drive vans from Harry Brown's LLC at $46,193 each, for a combined purchase price of $92,386 to be paid from the Central Services fleet fund. Commissioner Underdahl moved the purchase; Commissioner Peters seconded. Commissioners voiced support for buying locally.
County engineer Dennis Luby recommended awarding the contract for replacement of the county fuel‑island system to Pump and Meter, the low bidder. Luby told commissioners the work covers replacement of three underground tanks, new dispensers and related wiring and environmental controls; the base bid he presented was $703,619. He also recommended adding the alternate to construct a protective canopy at $76,103.05. "I would recommend we award that contract to Pump and Meter," Luby said. Commissioners approved the award with the canopy alternate and directed staff to finalize contract documents; construction would be scheduled outside the winter months and tank delivery timing will affect the contractor schedule.
The board approved an application for the 2026–2027 Radiological Emergency Preparedness grant, a FEMA program passed through the state Homeland Security and Emergency Management (HSEM) office, to reimburse training and emergency‑operations work tied to Rice County’s status as an ingestion‑risk county near the Prairie Island Nuclear Facility. Emergency Manager Joseph Johnson said the funds would reimburse time spent on EOC setup, updates to the urgent emergency operations plan and work on the county’s command bus.
Other approved items included out‑of‑state travel for a jail records staff member, Delaney, to attend a River Falls, Wisconsin training provided by the jail’s commissary vendor (the training is free; the county will cover hotel and breakfast), and the consent agenda covering extra‑time reports, payment of bills and personnel appointments. The meeting opened and closed routine business (agenda and minutes adopted) and adjourned by voice vote.
Board discussion during the vehicle and fuel‑island items included environmental due diligence and construction timing. On the fuel‑island replacement, Luby said site borings and soil tests had already been completed and that if unforeseen contamination were found staff would coordinate with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency (MPCA).
Votes at a glance
- Agenda approval — motion by Commissioner Underdahl; seconded by Commissioner Perfist; outcome: approved (voice vote). - Minutes (07/22/2025) approval — motion by Commissioner Peters; seconded by Commissioner Malika; outcome: approved (voice vote). - Declare 2016 Dodge Grand Caravan (social services fleet 3‑10) surplus — motion by Commissioner Malika; seconded by Commissioner Peters; outcome: approved (voice vote). - Declare 02/2019 Dodge Grand Caravan (social services fleet 3‑11) surplus — motion by Commissioner Malika; seconded by Commissioner Underdahl; outcome: approved (voice vote). - Purchase two 2025 Chrysler Pacifica Select AWD vans from Harry Brown's LLC, $46,193 each; total $92,386; funding: Central Services fleet fund — motion by Commissioner Underdahl; seconded by Commissioner Peters; outcome: approved (voice vote). - Award fuel‑island replacement contract to Pump and Meter, base bid $703,619; approve alternate canopy $76,103.05; funding/ scheduling per contract — motion by Commissioner Perfist; seconded by Commissioner Underdahl; outcome: approved (voice vote). - Approve application for FEMA Radiological Emergency Preparedness grant (2026–2027) via HSEM — motion by Commissioner Purfus; seconded by Commissioner Underdahl; outcome: approved (voice vote). - Out‑of‑state travel for jail records staff Delaney to River Falls, WI (training) — motion by Commissioner Malika; seconded by Commissioner Perfist; outcome: approved (voice vote). - Consent agenda (overtime report, payment of bills, personnel appointments) — motion by Commissioner Malika; seconded by Commissioner Underdahl; outcome: approved (voice vote). - Adjourn — motion by Commissioner Malika; seconded by Commissioner Peters; outcome: approved (voice vote).
Background and next steps
County staff will execute the Pump and Meter contract with Medine Architects’ (bid recommendation) construction documents and schedule construction outside winter months. The two replaced social‑services vans will be auctioned under the county surplus policy and sale proceeds returned to the Central Services fleet fund. The radiological grant application, if awarded, will reimburse emergency‑management work tied to Prairie Island preparedness. The board did not set additional policy actions at the meeting.
