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Board approves $111,000 wood chipper purchase amid calls for local bidding and grant checks
Summary
Supervisors approved a $111,000 wood chipper purchase from a Sourcewell contract and directed staff to quickly check for grant opportunities and local vendor quotes before completing the purchase; motion passed 5–0.
San Benito County supervisors approved the purchase of a replacement wood chipper valued at $111,000 during the Jan. 27 consent discussion, but they asked staff to take a last look for grants and solicit local quotes where feasible.
Supervisor Kosmicki raised concerns that the proposed machine was not California Air Resources Board compliant and asked whether Cal Fire or other grants could help fund the replacement. Steve Lieu, the county’s public works administrator, said staff had not identified an available grant for that specific piece of equipment but that the purchase would be paid from the Road Equipment Impact Fund, which does not affect the general fund.
Staff explained the county used Sourcewell—a government procurement catalog—to select the model and vendor as the most cost-effective option. Supervisors urged procurement reform to increase opportunity for local vendors and asked to see multiple price quotes in future purchases where practicable.
The board voted 5–0 to approve the purchase while directing staff to “take a quick glance” for potential grants prior to finalizing the transaction and to work with county counsel on procurement policy changes to better involve local vendors where possible.
Next steps: staff will verify if any grants are available for the replacement chipper, document the Sourcewell pricing, and report back on procurement options for similar purchases in future transactions.
