County can't find funds for special roadside chemicals in this year's budget

Commissioners took no action Monday morning on a proposal to purchase a roadside chemical for resale to chemical dealers.

District 3 Commissioner Leigh Hoyt explained that only governmental agencies can purchase a chemical called "Plateau," which creates an opportunity for the county to resell it and place the proceeds in the county's weed department budget.

Hoyt said the chemical would be sold to chemical dealers, who in turn could sell it to individuals.

Ted Bethell, a representative of Van Diest Supply Co. of McCook, said he was not at the commissioners' meeting as a salesman to sell the chemical, but to explain the proper stewardship the product and to help explain the resale process as it is used in Dawson and Rock counties.

Bethell said the sales restrictions on Plateau are placed on it by the manufacturer, BASF, to control its sale and use within the agricultural sector.

Hoyt said that in Red Willow County, Plateau would most likely be used on grassland that farmers and ranchers are enrolling in government incentive programs such as CRP and CREP, which are designed to remove land from irrigation and return it to grass.

Hoyt said the county could buy the Plateau for $267 a gallon and sell it for $300-$310 a gallon.

He estimated the first order could be approximately 100 gallons. Fellow Commissioner Steve Downer said that if the county were to start a program like this, he would want to have orders in hand. "I don't know the demand," Downer said.

Hoyt explained that the county would not be responsible and/or liable for proper or improper application, as the ultimate responsibility /liability lies with the person who applies a chemical.

However, Commission Chairman Earl McNutt pointed out that the initial expense would be the county's, and that the estimated expenditure of $27,000 was not included in the 2005-2006 budget, which commissioners just finished two weeks ago.

County budget clerk Shirley Volz explained that to make an expenditure like that now and to be able to spend this year whatever revenue was generated, the budget would have to be opened and adjusted. Volz said the county "would have trouble" coming up with money this year for a one-time chemical purchase of that size.

McNutt said, "We have no money to purchase the Plateau now."

Finding money within the budget to make that purchase now "would be robbing from everyone else," he said.

Hoyt, defending his intentions, said, "It's just a way for the county to make some money," and return some of the funds cut from the weed department budget.

Disgusted, Hoyt said it's too bad that government can't be run like a regular business.

McNutt asked for a motion to make the purchase, but Hoyt said, "We can't do it. There's no need to make a motion. Let the issue drop, and we go on with our business."

Bethell suggested commissioners investigate the opportunity further before writing next year's budget.