The Starke County Commissioners and Council discussed purchasing a new asphalt paver during their special session Monday.
Starke County Highway Superintendent Rachel Oesterreich told the council and commissioners, the current county owned asphalt paver recently had a mechanism fail causing the machine to not pave correctly. She added the department has stopped its current paving operations and noted the paver is a 2004 model that was purchased used by the county in 2012.
Oesterriech provided the council and commissioners with a quote from Sourcewell for a new asphalt paver. She stated it is the only paver that could be found currently available and formally asked the commissioners to approve the quote from Sourcewell. She added, if the purchase were to be approved, the new piece of equipment would be delivered this week and the highway department would be able to continue paving operations immediately. It was noted the quote received came in the amount of $257,478. Oesterreich stated, she had contacted the State Board of Accounts and got confirmation on using the funds from MVH Restricted Fund 1173 for this purchase. She said the fund has $2.4 million available for purchases like this.
Commissioner Mark Gourley made a motion to approve the amount of $257,478 from MVH Restricted Fund 1173 for the purchase of a new asphalt paver. That motion was seconded by commissioner Don Binkley and passed unanimously by vote. Council member Kay Gudeman then made a motion to approve that the funds come from MVH Restricted Fund 1173. That motion was seconded by council member Tony Black and passed unanimously by vote.
