Commissioners approve Western States CAT lease for new grader; budget and timing discussed

Valley County commissioners approved a Western States CAT sales and lease agreement for a 2025 CAT grader to support county snow operations on the Clear Creek route. The board approved the standard lease/purchase agreement after county staff confirmed legal routing and budget lines.

Director Kirsten Dietrich told the board the lease had routed through the prosecuting attorney’s office and that requested modifications had been approved. She said the purchase had a budget line and had passed through the county’s capital-improvement process: "The prosecuting attorney's office did approve the cat lease," she said. Dietrich also acknowledged paperwork arrived late and suggested the county investigate adjusting the budget cycle or CIP timing so large equipment leases can be ordered earlier in the year.

Commissioners discussed the recurring problem of ordering heavy equipment outside the budget cycle and requested a fleet spreadsheet showing equipment inventory, age, hours/mileage and repair costs to support replacement planning. A commissioner moved to approve the Western States CAT sales and lease agreement for the 2025 grader from the road director (Kirsten Dietrich); the motion was seconded and approved by voice vote.

The transcript does not include the contract dollar amounts in open discussion; staff indicated trade-in and other standard lease terms are included and that the final contract paperwork will be routed for signature as required.