Adams County commissioners approve motor grader purchase, three-year GIS contract and final construction change order; Holly Street vacation also OK'd

Adams County commissioners voted 4-0 on Tuesday to approve four separate items of new business and to affirm a land-use vacation introduced earlier in the meeting.

The board approved: a purchase order to Four Rivers Equipment for four John Deere motor graders (not to exceed $1,819,696); a three‑year renewal with Environmental Systems Research Institute (Esri) for geographic information systems (GIS) software and services ($1,425,000 over three years); and Amendment 6 to the East 50 Eighth Avenue construction contract, adding $840,055.52 tied to utility-related delays and finalizing construction closeout. Separately, the board approved VAC2025-1, a Holly Street right-of-way vacation adjoining the City of Thornton, after a public hearing and discussion (see separate article).

Motor graders Mike Gutierrez, fleet operations manager, told the board the graders will replace units that “have reached and exceeded its full useful life cycle” and will be John Deere 772GP models purchased through the Sourcewell cooperative. Gutierrez said the county shortened the planned useful life of graders from 120 months to 84 months because of rising failure rates on major components. The board approved a motion to issue a purchase order to Four Rivers Equipment for a not‑to‑exceed $1,819,696; the motion passed 4-0 with one member absent.

GIS agreement with Esri Jason Schultz, director of information technology and innovation, briefed the board on a three-year renewal of the county’s Esri agreement. Schultz said GIS use has expanded across departments — public works, community economic development, clerk and recorder, emergency management and public health — and that the renewal includes added licenses and analytics tools and will be billed annually ($450,000 year 1; $475,000 year 2; $500,000 year 3). The board approved the agreement 4-0.

East 50 Eighth Avenue change order Public Works Director Bridale (Bridal) Staley presented Amendment 6, a negotiated $840,055.52 contract adjustment tied to extended project duration from utility delays (the staff presentation cited Xcel Energy as a major factor). Staley said approval would finalize the construction contract at about $26.73 million and allow project closeout and community ribbon-cutting planning. Commissioners asked for a follow-up study session on lessons learned; the amendment was approved 4-0.

Votes and motion summaries - Motor graders: motion to approve purchase order to Four Rivers Equipment not to exceed $1,819,696; approved 4-0 (one absent). - Esri agreement: motion to approve three-year agreement totaling $1,425,000; approved 4-0 (one absent). - East 50 Eighth Avenue Amendment 6: motion to approve $840,055.52 contract amendment; approved 4-0 (one absent). - VAC2025-1 (Holly Street vacation): approved after public hearing, 4-0 (one absent). See land-use article for details and public comment.

What the board said Commissioners asked staff for clearer documentation of equipment life-cycle policy for future capital purchases and discussed using change-order after‑action reports to improve coordination with utilities on large projects. Commissioners also asked that staff continue outreach to partner jurisdictions when county residents are affected by infrastructure maintained by another government.

Next steps The motor graders will be ordered and delivered per fleet timelines; the Esri contract will be implemented over three fiscal years; and Public Works will proceed with project closeout tasks and a community ribbon cutting for East 50 Eighth Avenue. The Holly Street vacation will proceed through the City of Thornton’s development steps for the proposed subdivision and trail improvements.