The meeting in its entirety can be viewed below this article.
Because damage from fire was listed as an exemption in the warranty and because the grader itself was not insured at the time of its being damaged, the county was judged by Riggs to be on the hook for the cost, $237,621 to repair the grader.
As was announced in the May regular meeting negotiations between a committee of the Nevada County Quorum Court and Riggs resulted in a reduction of the cost to $175,000 to be paid over five years at no interest The court voted to approve this deal. Since then, County Judge Otwell and Treasurer Ricky Reyenga told the court, a potential agreement emerged to buy a replacement grader from Riggs and to pay cash for repairs to the damaged grader, bringing the cost down to $150,000. To take advantage, the court needed to vote in favor of buying the replacement grader.
The special called meeting was called so the court could either approve or not approve this purchase. When Justice of the Peace Patricia Grimes arrived just a few minutes after 5:00 p.m., a quorum was achieved. Three JPs were absent (Chris Fore, Brenda Stockton and Eric Jackson) as the meeting came into order and Judge Otwell began by explaining the terms of the deal. Treasurer Ricky Reyenga said, “They did come down from $175,000, because we’re doing a cash payoff. So they gave us a $25,000 break.
JP Willie Wilson said, “I make a motion we pay $150,000 for the burned motor grader.” At this County Clerk Tammie Rose responded that the court had already approved the settlement with Riggs. Only the amount had changed. But she said a motion would be necessary to approve the lease of another road grader from Riggs, which will be financed through the Bank of Delight.
JP Dennis Pruitt asked whether the county checked with the other bank in town, Farmers Bank and Trust, to get a more favorable interest rate. Judge Otwell said yes. Pruitt, whose spouse works for Farmers, said he had to to ask the question to be able to go home and eat supper that night.
Rose said “I’ve got a motion.” The second was made here by JP Kenneth Bailey. Rose continued “—to to enter into a new lease agreement through the Bank of Delight for a motor grader from Riggs tractors.”
Pruitt asked if the arrangement was a lease-to-own. Reyenga said it was not a lease. Pruitt asked what the payments would be. Ricky Reyenga responded they would be $5,845 per month. Judge Otwell said he had looked at what the price would be for a John Deere grader and found it would cost “$344 thousand something,” whereas the Caterpillar grader would be $309 thousand.
Pruitt then asked, “Can we get away with this without bidding it?”
Judge Otwell said the purchase was being made through Sourcewell, a public procurement company that allows governments to avoid the bidding process. He also added, “Nowhere in the state of Arkansas can you buy a Cat[erpillar] grader any cheaper.”
JP Patricia Grimes asked, “What’s the warranty?”
“It’s going to be a standard Cat[erpillar],” Judge Otwell said. He cited the road grader that had hydraulic issues that was fixed without charge to the county by Riggs recently.
Rose said, “So there’s a motion and a second on the floor to purchase a new road grader from Riggs through the Bank of Delight.” The vote was taken and each JP voted yes.
“We’ve got enough people to run it?” JP Pruitt asked. Judge Otwell said, “I hope so. I may have to bring you out of retirement.”
“I can do it,” Pruitt said.
JP Wilson made the motion to adjourn, with JP Bailey seconding.