Commissioners keeping better eye on road gravel

Red Willow County commissioners decided Monday morning they need to better monitor the size of gravel being delivered to some of the county's graveled roads.

Although the three admitted they don't have time to watch gravel deliveries "24/7," they do plan to take some roads away from one company and give it to another, in hopes of getting road gravel that meets specs, and not sand that blows away in the wind.

Commission Chairman Earl McNutt said that he tested several samples delivered last week by EIA LLC, and discovered that only 44 percent of the sample met the requirement for gravel labeled "No. 10," suitable by state specs for road surfaces.

Gravel is measured by the sieve used to screen it at a gravel pit, and road surface gravel measures one inch, 3/4 inch, 3/8 inch, No. 4, No. 10, No. 50 and No. 200. McNutt said the county may have to write its own specs for gravel size, rather than using the state specs for No. 10 gravel. Fellow commissioner Steve Downer agreed, saying, "No. 10 is too darned little anyway."

McNutt said that anything less than No. 10 "is like fill sand. When the wind blows, it's gone."

In June, commissioners granted EIA the bid to provide gravel for these precincts: Grant ($5.88 per ton), Valley Grange ($6.98), Driftwood, ($4.88), Red Willow ($5.71), Box Elder ($6.40) and Coleman ($5.13). The price-per-precinct and per-ton bids by each of three gravel companies that bid on the county gravel generally reflected the company's distance from the precinct to which it hauls gravel. EIA pumps from a sand pit south of the Perry elevator, on the east side of the road north of the Republican River.

The bidding process allows a deduction from the contract bid price for materials more than 11-15 percent points below the target size.

Commissioner Leigh Hoyt suggested paying only 44 percent of EIA's bill since only 44 percent of its load contained the No. 10 gravel required in the county's bid specs.

McNutt was quick to point out that commissioners have had similar concerns in the past with other gravel firms. Hoyt said, too, he is concerned that the county appears to be paying for gravel weighed before all the water drains away.

Hoyt said one way to solve the problem may be for the county to buy its own sand pit. Another possible solution -- and this would help with the timeliness of deliveries, which is also a concern -- is for the county to purchase a dump trailer (and use two trucks it already owns) to do the hauling itself directly from sand pits to county roads, rather than rely on gravel firms to make deliveries.

McNutt said, "There's go to be a better way to get our gravel in a more timely manner."

McNutt said Monday morning that EIA has been warned twice about the quality of its gravel deliveries to county roads. He said that Hancock Gravel will be contacted about delivering gravel to precincts awarded in June to EIA.

Commissioners authorized Extension educator Mary K Warner to continue talks with Larry Eisenmenger of MNB Insurance, regarding additional insurance on property owned by the Red Willow County 4-H Council that is stored on the fairgrounds in McCook and often used by the fair board.

Warner said livestock equipment (some purchased in 1996); educational materials; and activities equipment (such as a popcorn popper and snow cone machine) have been purchased by the 4-H Council with private donations. They are not listed on county inventories and therefore not insured for loss under county insurance policies, she said. The property is valued at $19,137.42.

The 4-H Council will pay an additional premium, Warner said.