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Mills County approves $102,600 sign truck; board says outfitting will raise total cost
Summary
Mills County supervisors voted to order a new sign/utility truck priced at $102,600, with county engineer Jacob Pearl warning that outfitting could add roughly $170,000–$195,000 and that the county will seek ways to reduce those costs.
Mills County supervisors voted to order a new sign/utility truck after hearing competing quotes and a recommendation from county engineer Jacob Pearl.
Pearl told the board the county compared Freightliner and Mack bids and found the Freightliner/International option most closely matched local needs and the lowest price for the chassis: $102,600. He said the county has $240,000 budgeted for the purchase but outfitting the vehicle with the crane, auger, racks and other specialty components could add an estimated $170,000–$195,000, potentially bringing the total closer to $275,000–$295,000. Pearl said the county will explore transferring usable components from the old truck and performing some outfitting in‑house to lower costs.
A supervisor asked how long it would take to receive and outfit the truck; Pearl estimated the chassis could arrive by Jan. 1 and full outfitting could take several more months, possibly available for use by midyear. The board made and seconded a motion to order the recommended International truck and approved the motion by voice vote.
The purchase order covers the chassis; county staff said a second procurement or separate bids will follow for the outfitting work. The board did not approve a final outfitting contract at the meeting.
The board’s vote was procedural and recorded on the meeting record as passing by voice vote. Next steps listed by staff include placing the order for the chassis, soliciting bids or pricing for outfitting, and returning to the board for final outfitting decisions and budget adjustments.
