AMENDING CHAPTER 17 OF THE SAUK COUNTY CODE OF ORDINANCES PERTAINING TO HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT PURCHASES

For the construction and maintenance of highways, including the removal and control of snow and ice, it becomes necessary from time to time to purchase equipment, the nature and necessity for which cannot be accurately anticipated.  Sauk County Financial Policy 4-94 states that bids/proposals are required to be submitted for equipment purchases in excess of $10,000 with an exception to this requirement for the Highway Department, whose limit is $30,000 before County Board action is required.  Given the need to replace many various pieces of equipment annually in order to maintain a safe, reliable, and cost effective fleet and the fact that equipment costs have increased substantially over past years, this amendment will set the Highway Department’s equipment purchasing threshold requiring no County Board action be required for a single unit of equipment costing $30,000 or less.  Wis. Stat. 83.015 provides that the county highway committee shall purchase and sell county road machinery as authorized by the county board.