County approves chip-seal aggregate bid; tables property-damage settlement pending insurance clarification

The Saline County Board approved a procurement change and awarded the 2026 chip-seal aggregate bid on Jan. 6, and later tabled action on a property-damage settlement for a damaged timber bridge pending further insurance cost information.

Chip-seal bid: County Engineer Justin Mader recommended pre-ordering chip-seal aggregate directly from quarries to secure quality and pricing. The county opened bids Dec. 4 and received three responses; staff recommended accepting Night Trucking & Night Land LLC’s low, responsive aggregate bid at $40.50 per ton, an estimated $182,250 for the quantity specified. Commissioners moved, seconded and approved RFA 20-26-02 as presented. Mader told the board the procurement change aims to address timing and quarry availability to improve rock quality and reduce cost compared with last year’s $65.50-per-ton rate.

Property-damage settlement and culvert replacement: Justin Mader reported that on Nov. 14, 2025 a contractor’s heavy equipment caused a timber entrance bridge to fail at 9189 South Muir Road. The insurance company estimated repairs at $23,275.71; the county’s out-of-pocket response costs were roughly $3,410. Staff proposed accepting the insurer’s settlement and replacing the structure with a half-tanker culvert (estimated $22,000–$24,000). The affected property owner, Jennifer Griffin, asked the county to consider concrete topping or a solid surface because gravel over a half-round culvert washes out on heavy rain events. Commissioners directed staff to ask the insurer to include the concrete topping cost in its estimate and tabled RFA 20-26-04 pending that clarification.

Outcomes: The chip-seal aggregate award was approved; the property-damage settlement and replacement approach were postponed while staff seeks an updated insurance estimate to consider the requested concrete surfacing.