Commissioners Approve Purchase Of Motor Graders
Roosevelt County commissioners approved the purchase of nine motor graders and to take bids for a new storage building for the sheriff’s office during their meeting on Tuesday, Oct. 4.
Commissioners noted that the bids received for motor graders from John Deere and CAT were fairly similar. Commissioner Duane Nygaard made the motion to only purchase the motor grader for the Bainville shop from CAT. Nygaard wanted to wait on purchasing the other eight motor graders until their five-year guaranteed terms were out.
“That’s the only one that has met the hours,” Nygaard said of the Bainville shop’s grader. Commissioner Gordon Oelkers said that the buy back price is better than the guaranteed price right now.
Nygaard’s motion failed by a 2-1 vote.
Oelkers made the motion to purchase three CAT graders for the McCabe shop, one CAT grader for the Bainville shop, two John Deeres for the Poplar shop and three John Deeres for the Wolf Point shop. Total cost is $1.263 million.
Nygaard said he would like to wait for one and a half to two years to purchase the equipment.
“Problem is two years from now, how much would they be?” commissioner Gary Macdonald said.
Oelkers’ motion passed by a 2-1 margin.
Commissioners discussed accepting bids for a 60 by 64 secured building for the sheriff’s office. The building is planned to be located in empty lots across from the courthouse.
During a special administrative meeting held on Sept. 21, commissioners approved a memorandum of understanding between the county and Fort Peck Tribes for the detention center to allocate 20 beds for $75 a day per inmate.
Commissioners approved the purchase of a 2022 Silverado short box crew cab 4 by 4 for the sheriff’s office. Cost will be $48,084. The vehicles will be paid with CARES funds.
Commissioners approved increasing the amount where commissioners need approval on small equipment purchases from $1,500 to $3,000. The amount for a fixed asset line item was increased from $5,000 to $10,000.
Macdonald voted against the proposal because he said more $1,000 chairs have been purchased since the amount was increased.
“I hate to micro manage,” Oelkers noted.
The motion passed by a 2-1 margin.
Two trailer houses located at the McCabe shop will be put up by sale by sealed bid. Deadline is Oct. 25. The three-bedroom trailers were purchased during the oil boom, but they haven’t been lived in for a couple of years.
James Bear-Eder was hired for the detention center.
