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Seward County approves Road & Bridge tractor/mower purchase and a rebuilt landfill compactor
Summary
The commission approved purchasing two tractors and two Rhino mowers for Road & Bridge and authorized purchase of a rebuilt compactor for the landfill (net of insurance) after discussing warranties, rental costs and delivery timelines; purchasing-policy waivers were granted to expedite needed equipment.
Mark Johnson, Road & Bridge, presented quotes for two tractors (used and new options) and two 15-foot Rhino mowers; he recommended the Keating used tractors for prompt delivery and factory warranty carryover. Commissioners discussed trade-in values, extended warranty costs and the department's rental expense for temporary tractors (about $2,000 per week). "Ideally, I would push the Keating tractor used tractors," Johnson said, citing availability.
Commissioner Abbott moved to accept the Keating used tractors (2023 and 2024) and two Rhino 15-foot batwing mowers with extended warranties for a total that the staff presented as roughly $195,959–$197,403 (items and warranty line items were clarified on the record). The motion included waiving the purchasing policy to speed delivery; the board approved the purchase by show of hands.
Separately, Tyler Antrim reported a landfill compactor was totaled by fire in September and the county received an insurance payout of $252,290. Bids to replace the machine ranged from about $380,000 for some models to more than $1,041,000 for a brand-new Cat. Antrim recommended a fully rebuilt 2006 Cat 826H supplied through a Caterpillar dealer with a three-year/5,000-hour powertrain warranty at an approximate net cost of $700,000 before applying the insurance proceeds. He warned of rental costs (about $20,000–$25,000 per month) and regulatory risks if the landfill lost compaction capacity. "We gotta have a compactor for airspace because ... we have to keep up with KDHE guidelines," Antrim said.
A motion to waive the purchasing policy and purchase the rebuilt Cat compactor (with warranty) using the landfill equipment fund minus the insurance proceeds was moved and seconded; commissioners approved the purchase and the waiver.
Both decisions reflected commissioners' concern about equipment availability, warranty terms and continued county operations rather than a preference for new versus rebuilt machines. Staff will execute purchases from the equipment fund and implement extended warranty coverage as authorized.
