By Scott Edger
Little Apple Post
In November, the Riley County Board of Commissioners approved a large equipment purchase for the Public Works department from the Capital Improvement fund.
Commissioners approved two new tandem-axel dump trucks, each outfitted with snowplow and spreader. The trucks and accessories will replace old, worn equipment – pretty standard practice for pretty standard equipment.
At the time, Riley County Public Works Director John Ellerman and staff estimated the trucks to cost $230,000 each.
In the past, when the county sent out a request-for-bid on this kind of equipment, a half-dozen or dealers would submit bids.
When commissioners opened sealed bids last week, only one dealer had submitted a proposal. The bid amount aligned well with the budgeted cost, but the dealer – Rush Truck Center of Kansas City – set an expected delivery time of 360-380 days.
That would slate delivery for early 2023.
Public Works tries to always order large equipment in advance, and these trucks were not expected to be here for this winter.
"These type of trucks have never been a quick delivery, " Commissioner Greg McKinley said. "The delivery is long for the trucks but not unexpected with the delay in everything right now." McKinley said that large equipment with the required modifications was often a six-month wait prior to any disruptions.
The Rush Truck Center bid came in at $234,021 each – a little more than $8,000 over the budgeted amount. The higher current price tag was not alarming or unusual – the increase was approved at Thursday’s meeting – but commissioners voiced concerns over what the cost could be when the trucks arrive.
In the best of times, inherent price increases could impact any purchases with protracted delivery/completion times. With inflation skyrocketing, budgeting can amount to a wild guess.
Commissioner Kathryn Focke noted that the county had to pay more than expected for a recent ambulance purchase. She asked Ellerman if the county could lock in the current price. He told commissioners that was unlikely.
“Typically, when we bid a price its locked in until we receive the truck,” Ellerman said. “The way things are going now, I don’t know if I can guarantee that, but I will fight for it.”
When the original budget was set, Ellerman and staff thought $230,000 was a conservative estimate.
Commissioner John Ford said there is no easy way to project costs out a year or more, and was just as concerned with the onset of winter and having to wait a year to replace the worn trucks.
"Are we in good shape in the meantime?” Ford asked Ellerman.
“We will keep them running,” Ellerman answered.
The action allows Ellerman’s department to have funds allocated from CIS into the department’s reserves to cover the bid cost, and they can cross the money bridge the trucks are ready.
“My guess is we’ll be revisiting this,” Ford said.