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County will purchase dump trucks for road and bridge department

Staff reporter

Marion County Commission approved the lease-purchase Monday of two 2006 IHC dump trucks for the county road department.

The commission had instructed road and bridge superintendent Jim Herzet to request interest rates from banks within the county.

An interest rate of 4.073 percent from Tampa State Bank was the lowest and was approved by the commission.

The trucks cost a total of $183,090. Annual payments at the interest rate quoted by Tampa State Bank will be $50,780 during a four-year period.

Other interest rates were Marion National Bank 4.240 percent, Pilsen State Bank 4.390 percent, Cottonwood Valley Bank 4.410 percent, Hillsboro State Bank 4.469 percent, Central National Bank 4.49 percent, Citizens State Bank 4.65 percent, Peabody State Bank 4.740 percent, and Community National Bank 5.210 percent. IHC was offering financing at 4.78 percent.

One truck will be sold outright; the other will be used as a backup, said Herzet.

Commissioner Randy Dallke said he was concerned about selling a truck outright. Herzet said the county should be able to sell the truck for $15,000. IHC was willing to give $12,000 for a trade-in.

In other road department business:

— The commission said it was concerned about railroad crossings. Commissioner Dan Holub and Herzet recently met with railroad officials regarding a rough crossing on 30th Road between Mustang and Nighthawk roads.

Dallke asked the commission to consider requesting either flashing warning lights or railroad signals be installed since visibility at the crossing is limited.

Bump strips were installed to warn motorists of the rough crossing until it could be repaired by the railroad.

Holub said he was concerned about other railroad crossings where trees block visibility, and other issues that could cause accidents.

The commission agreed there was a need to look at all railroad crossings in the county for similar hazards.

— A transport fuel bid from Cooperative Grain & Supply of Hillsboro was the low bid for a total of $16,955.

The bid was for 5,000 gallons of diesel at an average cost of $2.12 per gallon, and 3,000 gallons of unleaded fuel at $2.04 per gallon. Cardie Oil Company of Tampa also submitted a bid of $17,984 for the same amount of fuel.

— A road crossing permit was approved for American Energy.

— Herzet announced he will attend a tour of a John Deere factory at Waterloo, Iowa.

— A 10-minute executive session was requested by Herzet to discuss personnel. The meeting reconvened with no decisions.

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