Commissioners consider paving options

McCOOK, Neb. — A change of philosophy was considered Monday as Red Willow County Commissioners set bid dates for one of their major tasks: maintaining county roads.

In the end, they set June 5 as the date to open bids for armor-coating and crack-sealing on county blacktop roads.

In addition, June 26 was set as the date to open bids for gravel, but those bids are likely to be rejected because of a technicality in state law.

Chairman Ted Gans said he expected bids from B & H Paving of Scott City, Kan., as well as the Figgens Construction of Red Cloud, which has won the bid in recent years.

Gans said he favored a shift to more crack-sealing to preserve good roads and less armor-coating in futile attempts to preserve faulty roads.

He pointed to a road starting at Federal Avenue, the Perry Grain road and East 11th north in McCook as possible projects for this year.

Vendors will be asked to submit bids for seven miles of armor coating and crack sealing, along with estimates of how much oil and gravel will be required. Previously, that final task was performed by an engineer.

Miller & Associates will continue to provide maps for the county road projects, however.

Commissioner Randy Dean pointed out to the other two commissioners, who are serving their first terms, that state auditors had indicated that, unlike past practices, they could not award a gravel bid to one vendor, and then purchase the gravel elsewhere if the first vendor was unable to supply it.

Rejecting all bids eliminates that restriction, but the county is still required to seek bids each year, and asks for both FOB and hauled to county sites.

Commissioners also discussed the process of purchasing “cold patch” road material from a vendor in North Platte, and Gans brought up the possibility of the county performing its own crack-sealing work by purchasing equipment to make that possible.

The estimated $80,000 cost was seen as cost-prohibitive, but the upcoming crack-sealing bids might shed new light on that possibility.

Commissioners approved a bid of $23,300 for a mower for the District 3 shop, located in McCook, from AKRS Equipment. Another bid for a New Holland mower was received from Heartland for $36,500.

The bid low bid was accepted on a 2-0 vote, with Charles Fritsche abstaining because he is an AKRS employee.

Commissioners also received word from the Nebraska Commission on Law Enforcement & Criminal Justice that the Red Willow County Jail is in full compliance.

County Treasurer Crystal Dack asked commissioners to remind the public that the first half of property taxes become delinquent on May 2, and the courthouse will be closed Friday for Arbor Day.