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Alleghany County forestry service asks commissioners for extra $6,000 to cover new truck bed and equipment
Summary
A forestry service representative told commissioners that a recent change in vehicle specifications and rising equipment costs mean the county needs an additional $6,000 now and roughly $15,000 more next year to fully outfit a new truck.
A Forestry Service representative told the Alleghany County Board of Commissioners that a recent truck procurement will cost more than initially budgeted and asked the board to supply an additional $6,000 now and to consider roughly $15,000 in the following year to cover remaining equipment needs.
The representative said the state purchases the trucks through regional orders and that the county’s payment covers 40 percent of the vehicle. “It’s not just a $60,000 purchase. It’s a $69,000 purchase,” the Forestry Service representative said, explaining that the bed and tank/pump equipment increased the total cost. He added that the truck currently being built was quoted at about $50,000 earlier, but the price rose to about $60,000 before ordering and that associated equipment prices have also increased.
Commissioners and staff discussed technical constraints that prevent transferring the older flatbed equipment to the new chassis: the county’s previous unit was a dually flatbed, while the state-standard replacement is a single-rear-wheel crew chassis with a six-foot mechanics bed. “The bed wouldn’t be transferable, wouldn’t fit on the truck,” the Forestry Service representative said, describing why the county must replace both chassis and bed.
Staff noted long lead times: the representative estimated an eight- to 14-month turnaround from order to delivery and said the county typically aims to order truck and equipment in the same budget year so the vehicle arrives fully outfitted. He proposed covering the immediate shortfall to allow the order to proceed and returning to the board next year with a request for the additional outfitting funds.
No formal vote was recorded on the additional $6,000 during this session. Commissioners asked for line-item breakdowns and were told staff could provide detailed cost figures on each piece of equipment if the board wished.
If the board approves the supplemental funding, the Forestry Service representative said the county could potentially avoid another truck purchase for eight to 10 years once the second truck is outfitted.
