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Commissioners ask for more review after wide variance in brush-truck bids
Summary
Montgomery County commissioners reviewed three bids for a planned brush truck and directed staff to convene area fire chiefs after finding large price and specification discrepancies; the lowest compliant bid was corrected to $70,096 and concerns were raised about aluminum beds and single-wheel versus dually configurations.
The Montgomery County Board of Commissioners heard a detailed presentation on competing bids for a new brush truck and asked staff to gather more input from local fire chiefs before awarding the work.
Michael Smith, who presented the bid results, said the county received three proposals: Rebel Brush Trucks (listed at $235,000 but flagged as noncompliant with the county's specifications), Emergency Vehicle Resources (listed on the bid sheet at $59,005.72 but later corrected to include an omitted flatbed line item of $10,005.24, bringing the total to $70,096) and Fell Fire at $77,008.36. "The flatbed price would be an additional $10,005.24," Smith said, noting the corrected total lessened the gap between vendors.
Commissioners and others pressed on technical details the bid documents specified: single-axle versus dually rear wheels, frame rating, off-road packages, and whether aluminum flatbeds were appropriate for rough-terrain firefighting. One commissioner said from experience that aluminum beds can be brittle and prone to cracking in rough terrain, arguing used trucks might be a cost-saving alternative.
The presenter said Emergency Vehicle Resources met the bid specifications without adding unnecessary extras and that Cherryville’s assistant chief had reviewed the proposal and found it suitable. Commissioners asked Smith to convene chiefs from Cherryville, Havana, Tyro, Deering and Liberty to collect written feedback on frame choices, axle configurations and bed material and to return with a consolidated recommendation next week.
The discussion emphasized balancing upfront cost with long-term durability and the county’s limited equipment budget for the special equipment fund. Commissioners did not award the contract at the meeting; they directed staff to report back with chiefs’ input and comparative recommendations.
