Shawnee County commissioners on Dec. 1 approved multiple vehicle purchases for the county’s Solid Waste division after staff said competitive bids produced favorable trade-in allowances and the total outlay came in under budget.

Solid Waste Director Bill Sutton recommended awards resulting from the county’s RFQ process: a half-ton pickup to Laird Noller Ford for $36,000 (including trade-in); a class-5 tire-service truck to Shawnee Mission Ford for $184,763 (including trade-in); three front-loader trash trucks to Truck Component Services for $572,937 (including trade-in); two rear-loader trash trucks to Truck Component Services for $422,196 (including trade-in); and two roll-off trucks to Elliot Equipment Company for $357,604 (including trade-in). Sutton told the board that the bids and trade-ins left the county about $20,500 under the budgeted amount for the purchases and that the solid waste enterprise fund—he said—covers these acquisitions and does not use tax dollars.

Commissioners asked whether the enterprise fund would retain a balance after the purchases; Sutton said the fund would have about $20,000 remaining. Each vehicle award was moved, seconded and approved by a 3–0 vote.

The approved purchases are intended to replace aging equipment and to maintain service capacity, including a new tire-service truck intended to reduce reliance on an older unit that staff described as becoming a liability.