BROOKINGS Its rare that a proposed equipment purchase generates much discussion by the Brookings County Commission, but thats precisely what happened at the Oct. 7 meeting.
At the heart of the debate was Highway Superintendent Brian Gustads request to buy a new tractor and mower to help improve his departments ability to keep roads in the county clear of overgrown vegetation and trees something thats been a pill on occasion over the years, but especially so this year due to wet conditions. The equipment in question is a:
John Deere 6M 145 Tractor, whose price is $157,572.32
Diamond Mowers 23-foot Rear Cradle Boom Mower System, priced at $91,760
Together, the total cost would be $249,332.32. That proved to be a sticking point for some commissioners, but Gustad forged ahead in making his case.
I know I brought this up at (the) budget hearing, and there was some discussion on that, Gustad said. I guess Id just like to stress we do have to continue to improve the safety of our intersections and along our roadways.
Part of his presentation included photos showing county crews using a skid steer to remove trees a few years ago on 32nd Avenue in Brookings. The removal was effective at the time, but those trees are now coming back and this particular tree has an affinity for water, and theres a lot of that in the form of the Big Sioux River, creeks, sloughs and lakes in Brookings County. Some of those sloughs are along roadways in the county.
As you can see, those trees are well above the skid steer, and not all the time can we get out there with the skid steer, because that area remains inundated with water, Gustad explained. This is just one example within Brookings County.
He continued, In an effort to give some of our roadways some clear zone clearance, I believe this would be a useful tool in our toolbox.
While Gustad conceded that not every year is as wet as this one has been at least until recently he said having the new equipment would help immensely with several intersections and lower-lying areas in the county.
Several questions were asked by commissioners, including:
Commissioner Doug Post inquired about the hours on the Highway Departments current tractors.
Gustad the oldest unit has roughly 7,500 hours while the newer unit which is from 2017 and also has the capability of being a boom and/or a side mower unit has roughly 3,900 hours.
Would you say the attachments have about the same hours, or have they been carried over from before? Commissioner Larry Jensen asked.
That Im not aware of, but I believe those tractors were bought new as a unit, much like as is proposed here, Gustad said.
Commissioner Shawn Hostler joined in as well, asking This (unit) that youre proposing that were considering today is kind of newer equipment, but something with capabilities we dont currently have?
Correct, Gustad said. Right now, our mower that we have is a 13-foot boom, where were looking at a 23-foot boom. Ten feet sometimes on these intersections can make a world of difference.
And the tractor is a little bit bigger to be able to handle the distance and the stability for reaching out and trying to touch something? Hostler inquired.
Yup, Gustad said. I would also like to point out with this mower that is proposed here, (its) a higher clearance. Right now, our mower that we have currently, we can reach over one swath outside a guard rail on a bridge.
He also noted that landowner cooperation was another factor that needed to be figured into the purchase equation.
Sometimes trees originate on privately owned land and, thus, the county doesnt always receive permission to remove those trees, Gustad said. That leaves the county with only an aerial option to help control tree growth, and thats something having a better boom mower would help with.
Especially along intersections where we have issues with sight distance, wed be able to reach up and at least trim those trees back if the landowner wouldnt cooperate with the Highway Department to allow us to get to the problem at the base, where wed like to start, he said. There again, its an emphasis on safety, and I believe it would save us money in the long run with snow removal.
While the Highway Department has a boom tool thats similar to one in the proposed purchase, the tractor it mounts on well, it essentially takes a day of downtime to switch out its equipment attachments, such as side and back mowers. That lost time is a key factor, even more so in a wet year. Thats because Gustad said his department covers 400 miles of roads, which translates into 800 lane miles. With this years rain, he said theyve been needing to mow at least once every month.
Covering with two tractors at about 3.5 to 4 mph, were taking valuable time to cover those lane miles in order, one, to keep it safe for wildlife and sight distance and, two, for snow removal, he said.
Leading up to the vote, Post wondered if using chemicals would be an effective approach to handling the problem of cattails and tree regrowth.
Would it be more effective with spraying the cattails and getting them every year where were able to work them back a few more feet to keep them out of the right of way as far as the safety issues with wildlife and whatnot darting out into the road? he asked. You can see them a little quicker because theyre not standing in cattails. Would a couple more years and dedication on keeping those cattails and I dont know, if something like that also works for the trees, like in the willows photo you showed us, that we could keep those back with a non-mechanical system of keeping those roadways and right of ways clear?
Commissioner Kelly VanderWal joined the discussion as well.
You know, the Brookings County Highway Department has some great employees, and great employees take care of the equipment that they have, and I think they do a great job of that, he said. We need to continue to update (the) equipment so that great employees have good equipment to run.
Jensen came at it from a safety viewpoint.
I guess I look at it as the safety aspect then, improving the roadways, he said. As you drive all the county roads I mean, theres not a county road that theres some, this application could be used to further improve the safety out there, in my opinion.
That gave Post an opening to piggyback onto Jensens thoughts.
If were talking safety, the conditions of the roads and bridges and some of the culverts and stuff that weve got on our list to deal with would maybe take priority to me, he observed. Id like to see working on a chemical solution for keeping some of this brush back in our right of ways and those areas where its a problem. Be a cheaper avenue, and in the meantime the dollars that could be saved and accelerating some of the bridge replacements and possibly helping the townships out with some of their issues of structures that need to be replaced and accelerating those would be also a pretty major safety issue.
Amid the discussion, Gustad mentioned that if the new equipment purchase was deferred, the county would face a 10% to 15% increase from John Deere for the purchase after Nov. 1.
When the vote was finally taken, it was 3-2 in favor of authorizing the new equipment purchase. Jensen, VanderWal and Hostler approved the resolution, while Post and Commissioner Dave Miller opposed it.
In other business at the Oct. 7 meeting, commissioners:
On a 5-0 vote, approved the five-year plan for highways, roads and bridges.
Approved, all on 5-0 votes, a variety of actions related to the Brookings County Courthouse parking lot and sidewalk project.
On a voice vote, gave the go-ahead to an agreement between Brookings County and Tyler Technologies Inc. Regarding a software services agreement.
Contact Mondell Keck at [email protected].
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