Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure Road Equipment topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Ben Hill County approves USDA loans and disaster grants to buy road equipment
Summary
The Ben Hill County Commissioners unanimously ratified four USDA Direct Facilities loans (interest 2.25%) and accompanying Disaster Relief grants to buy a wheel loader and tractor, two road graders, five trucks and related equipment, and a tractor/backhoe for the Road Department.
Ben Hill County Commissioners on Sept. 8 ratified multiple USDA Direct Facilities loans and matching Disaster Relief grants to replace and expand equipment used by the county Road Department.
Vice‑Chair Hope Harmon moved to ratify a loan not to exceed $108,000 at 2.25% interest plus a Disaster Relief grant up to $100,000 to purchase a wheel loader and tractor; Commissioner Daniel Cowan seconded and the motion passed with Vice‑Chair Hope Harmon, Commissioner Daniel Cowan, Chairman Steve Taylor and Commissioner Bennie Calloway voting for the motion. The board then approved a loan not to exceed $410,000 at 2.25% interest plus a Disaster Relief grant up to $100,000 to buy two road graders; and a loan not to exceed $155,100 at 2.25% interest plus a Disaster Relief grant up to $100,000 to buy five trucks, a mower, a trailer and a welder. Finally, the commissioners ratified a loan not to exceed $172,500 at 2.25% interest plus a Disaster Relief grant up to $100,000 to purchase a tractor and backhoe. All four recorded commissioners voted in favor; Commissioner John Mooney was recorded as absent for the meeting.
The motions were recorded as ratifications of previously made votes; minutes show the equipment is intended for use by the county Road Department to support local maintenance and repair work. The loans all specify the same interest rate noted in the motions (2.25%) and each motion references a Disaster Relief grant capped at $100,000. The minutes did not list vendors or delivery timelines for the equipment.
The board’s action bundles several related purchases so the Road Department can proceed with multiple equipment replacements and additions under USDA financing and the accompanying grants. According to the minutes, the ratifications passed without public objection or recorded dissent.
The commissioners took no further action on the purchases at the meeting; implementing steps such as vendor selection and procurement are recorded as administrative follow‑ups in the minutes but were not detailed at this session.
