County departments moved ahead with projects this week, with major purchases approved by the Barton County Commission.
The Road and Bridge and Noxious Weed departments will each replace large trucks, Director Dale Phillips explained.
The purchases were approved with the Road and Bridge Department purchasing an F Series 2012 Ford 4X4 crew cab, full sized, cab and chassis from Marmie Ford for $34,389.
Phillips explained a flatbed the county currently owns will be installed on this chassis.
This truck will replace a 1991 Chevy 2500 Pickup with over 100,000 miles on it. That truck will be sold by sealed bid or at auction, Phillips explained.
The Noxious Weed Department is purchasing two weed sprayer trucks.
Marmie Motors had two trucks in stock that would suit the purposes and they were purchased for $82,948.
These are “4X4, full size, 1.5-ton heavy duty cab and chassis,” according to the county report.
Phillips explained the trucks need to be heavy duty because they will carry so much weight in spraying equipment and chemicals and more of their use will be off road.
He added the county can expect to get 10 to 15 years of use from these trucks, so it’s important that the right ones are bought.
The ones that are being sold are 13 and 15 years old, Phillips added.
In other projects, the commissioners approved the purchase of: batteries from ES&S (Election Systems & Software) for the iVotronic voting machines at the cost of $5,291.98; custom console furniture for the County Communications Department remodel at a cost of $46,886.96, with the material to be replaced to be sold or used by other county departments; and $5,040 for carpet, tile and an anti-static system for County Communications from Custom Floor Design.
Also this week, the commissioners approved reappointing Russell Carson and Stan Nelson to the Barton County Board of Zoning Appeals. There is still a position open on that board. Applications can be made in the Administrator’s Office in the courthouse.