Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Capital Equipment Procurement topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
After debate on specs, Jefferson County approves John Deere backhoe purchase
Summary
Following a lengthy discussion of parts availability, delivery times and operator preference, commissioners authorized a purchase order for a John Deere backhoe for $218,037.90, pending final purchase-order processing and vendor coordination.
Jefferson County commissioners voted June 10 to authorize the county to purchase a new John Deere backhoe after hearing from Road & Bridge staff about an aging 1995 backhoe with irreparable transmission and wiring issues.
Road & Bridge staff reported some parts for the 1995 machine are discontinued and would require extensive fabrication. Todd and Ben, representatives from John Deere, advised the board on availability and model options. Staff presented comparative quotes for a John Deere and a rival CAT machine; the price difference reported in the meeting was approximately $300 in one vendor’s quote, and staff said John Deere could provide the unit with suggested configuration and delivery around July 12.
Commissioners discussed machine specifications (dig depth, bucket size), warranty parity and operator preference. Several commissioners said operators favored John Deere for backhoe work; others noted CAT has advantages for graders. County staff said the capital-equipment budget and impact-fee funds would cover the purchase and that, after planned truck purchases, approximately $233,000 would remain in the impact fund.
A motion was made and seconded to approve a retail purchase order for a John Deere model (quote adjusted to remove an extra bucket) for a total cost of $218,037.90, with the condition staff finalize the purchase order paperwork and confirm delivery timing. The motion passed by roll call.
Commissioners instructed staff to prepare the county purchase order and to confirm the delivery window with the vendor before finalizing payment. If additional information from other vendors comes in before purchase order execution, staff said they would report it back to the board.
