Decision to replace county's wrecked bulldozer is on hold

Bourbon County Commissioners did not make a decision Friday on replacing a bulldozer that was totaled by the insurance company.

Public Works Director Jim Harris reported the insurance will pay the county $40,000 as a settlement for the bulldozer. He has located a 2012 Caterpillar bulldozer with 1,600 hours on its engine available for $131,976 with a one-year warranty. Harris said the replacement could be paid for with the landfill cash fund.

Because the county is considering a used bulldozer, Harris, who at one time sold heavy equipment, said it does not have to require bids.

"Because it's hard to meet specifications," he said. "They would never be apples to apples."

He said he could shop for a bulldozer with more hours on its engine, but it wouldn't last as long. The county puts between 800 and 1,000 hours on a bulldozer each year, he said.

He said there is a benefit to replacing the dozer with a new machine. It could be used to build the pad for a new hopper shed the county is getting ready to build. It could also be used to build a lagoon at the site. By using the county's equipment and operator, there would be a $40,000 savings, Harris said.

He said the bulldozer that had been totaled would not handle the job. The machine overturned on soft, uneven ground, Harris has said. No one was injured in the March accident.

The county already included a new backhoe for the landfill to work at the hopper shed.

Because First District Commissioner Lynne Oharah was absent Friday, commissioners agreed to wait before voting on the purchase. Harris said he could wait a week or two before needing a decision.

Commissioners voted to give David and Tina Proctor a $347.45 credit on their real property tax.

Mason, who brought the request to the commissioners, said the state has implemented a new Real Property Relief program that allows county commissioners to authorize credits for those who have lost their homes due to fire, flood or storms. She said one example the state provided is to give a credit for the percentage of the year the house no longer exists or is livable.

The Proctors lost their home to a fire on Oct. 6. Commissioners agreed to credit the Proctors for a fourth of the year. Mason said residents who are given the credit must pay 100 percent of their taxes, then the amount of relief is given as a credit.

On Monday, commissioners questioned what the county's resolution states about whether loads being taken to the landfill have to be covered. The question arose when they were discussing waiving construction and demolition fees for the Good Neighbor Action Team during the May 30-31 Wall Street Blitz project.

On Friday, Clerk Kendell Mason reported her staff located the resolution, which was passed in 2000. According to the resolution, the landfill will refuse loads that are not bagged or covered with a tarp.

As soon as Mason finished reading the resolution, Third District Commissioner Harold Coleman's phone began ringing. The caller reported someone was hauling to the landfill with a load that was not tarped and was losing trash on 235th Street coming from Poplar Road. One of the vehicles appeared to have broken down on Maple Road.

Harris contacted the landfill to advice staff to refuse the load.

Mason had commented that if the individual didn't care that their trash was blowing all over the road, they might turn around and dump the load "three blocks from the landfill."

"Kendell's right, you know, and then guess who will be picking it up?" Harris said.

Coleman reported the complaint to the sheriff's office and asked that a ticket be issued. By the end of the meeting, it was unclear if what action was taken by the sheriff's office.

Bob Love approached the commissioners about naming his replacement on the Riverfront Authority board, as he wishes to resign his position. He said he will remain active with the group and recommended Allen Warren, who is a former county commissioner, as his replacement.

Commission Chair Barbara Albright said they will need to determine when the commissioners make appointments to the Riverfront Authority Board.