Red Willow County commissioners will seek bids from contractors to armor coat 10 1/2-11 miles of county roads.

Commissioners decided at their meeting Monday morning they will use an RC (rapid cure) 800 formula at a .25 application rate (.25 gallon of oil to 1 square yard of county road) on 6 1/2-7 miles of road from Bartley north to the county line and and on 1 1/2 miles of road south of the Perry elevator. Those roads will cost about $14,000 a mile.

(Advertisement)

Commissioners discussed using a heavier application rate of the RC 800 that would have cost about $16,000/mile. Using an MC (medium cure) 800 formula at a normal application rate would cost about $15,400/mile; a lesser application rate would cost $13,600/mile. County road supervisor Gary Dicenta told commissioners that the MC product would create more tracking unless the road was closed until it cured completely.

Commissioners will use a "Buildex" product -- a manufactured flat, light-weight rock -- and an emulsified oil on 1-1 1/2 miles south of the former District 8 schoolhouse.

Dicenta said the cost of the Buildex product includes transportation of the rock to a stockpile site near the project. The finished road costs more than a traditional armor-coated road, Dicenta said, but it is expected to last longer. "Even if we get one more year, it's worth it," Dicenta said.

The road projects will require about 64,000 gallons of oil, all of which will be purchased from Vance Brothers of Kansas City at a cost of $2.65 per gallon plus 42 cents per gallon for freight.

Commissioners are seeking bid proposals from local gravel companies for the aggregate needed for the traditional armor-coat projects.

County road crews will patch the roads to be worked on, and mow/blade the edges. County crews will also pick up the aggregate at the pits.

Commissioner Leigh Hoyt wants to investigate the possibility of using local oil supplies in future armor-coating projects. "We can't do it this year. The time's too short," he said. "But we need to check it out, see if it's a possibility."

Commissioners approved a $4,500 agreement with Miller and Associates for the projects' engineering services, plus construction observation at $50/hour construction observation and mileage at 40 cents/mile.

Commissioners approved

In other action, commissioners:

Set this schedule to hear protests of ag land, commercial and residential properties' tax valuation (not the taxes associated with LB 701 levied by the Mid-Republican Natural Resources District--MRNRD): July 7, July 14 and July 21, from 1 p.m. until 4 p.m.; and July 15, July 17, July 22, July 23 and July 24, from 8 a.m. until noon, and 1 p.m. until 4 p.m. Tax payers protesting their valuation changes will be notified of hearing times by the county clerk's office.

Approved Lutheran Family Services' application of a Nebraska Crime Commission State Juvenile Justice County Aid Enhancement Grant, requesting $12,258 for equipment, supplies and mileage for the diversion program utilized by Red Willow County. LFS representative Chris Berry of McCook said the program is redistributing approximately $140,000 in grant funds unused by grant winners and returned to the state.

Approved undervalued, overvalued and omitted properties from County Assessor Sandra Kotschwar and tax roll corrections from County Treasurer Marleen Garcia.

Accepted from Kotschwar more claims for refunds regarding LB 701 taxes levied by the MRNRD.

Approved health insurance and miscellaneous claims and filed the county clerk's monthly fees report.