Chippewa County road commission readies bids for up to six trucks after state budget boost

The Board of Chippewa County Road Commissioners authorized Manager Laitinen on Oct. 9 to solicit bids for up to six new trucks for 2026 after the state budget passed earlier this year is expected to send about $3.3 million in additional funding to county road commissions.

Manager Laitinen told the board the commission wants to move now to avoid a potential run on truck availability as funding becomes available. "We want to get in front of a potential run on trucks caused by the funding approval," he said. Commissioners Moser and Sprague moved and seconded the authorization, and the motion carried.

Why it matters: road commissions statewide expect a one-time increase in resources under the new state budget, but Manager Laitinen said the commission is still "closely monitoring the state as the details of the sources and formulas for distribution get published." That uncertainty will shape how many vehicles and what specifications the commission ultimately purchases.

Budget context and advocacy: Laitinen credited coordination with local peers and legislators for securing the increase. He said Sen. Damoose and Rep. Fairbairn were "champions for rural road commissions" and that a spreadsheet created by Burt Thompson helped demonstrate an error in the package to legislators, prompting corrective action.

Operational context: Chief Mechanic Frank Marsh said staff are finalizing specifications and preparing for winter workloads; Fleet Manager Donajkowski said crews are organizing parts inventories and completing facility inspections. The board directed staff to begin the bidding process; no dollar amounts for the purchases were specified at the meeting.

Next steps: Staff will solicit bids as authorized and return to the board with specifications, bid results and recommended awards for board approval.