County commissions design for a bigger south highway garage after years of cramped, outdoor repairs

What happened

Commissioners approved a $45,000 engineering contract with Walbeeser Engineering to design an addition to the county highway department's south garage, after the county engineer said moving operations to a different property wasn't cost-effective. (15:30) The addition would be a 60-by-80-foot building adding three vehicle bays plus a wash bay; a commissioner said the south garage currently has only two bays that vehicles pull into but can't pull through, so crews have had to repair broken-down trucks and equipment outdoors, including in winter weather. (16:09, 17:05) The contract also includes a roughly $16,000 site-design subcontract to address drainage on the property, and the county engineer said the added bays would let crews pre-load materials for a faster response to winter storms. (16:10, 18:41)

The outcome

Approved on a voice vote; no per-member tally was recorded. The $45,000 pays only for design work — the county engineer said no construction funding has been budgeted yet, and it will likely need a bond or another outside funding source, since state road-maintenance funds can't be used here without cutting other road work. (16:34, 19:00, 19:40, 21:55)

Sources

• Contract and rationale, 15:30
• Addition size and bay shortage, 16:09
• Only two non-pull-through bays today, 17:05
• Drainage subcontract and winter-response benefit, 16:10 / 18:41
• No construction budget yet, 16:34
• MVH/road funds can't be used without cuts, 19:00
• Would likely need a bond, 19:40
• Voice vote approval, 21:55

Also known as: south highway garage expansion · Walbeeser Engineering contract · new highway garage bays and wash bay