Supervisor approve new motor grader for Secondary Road Department

The Jefferson County Board of Supervisors approved the purchase of a new Caterpillar motor grader today. The new machine is scheduled for purchase during the 2017 fiscal year.

This comes after the supervisors met with Jefferson County engineer Scott Cline and shop foreman Chad Lamansky; representatives from both Altorfer Inc., a Caterpillar dealer from Cedar Rapids, and Murphy Tractor, a John Deere dealer from Des Moines were also in attendance.

Although the county received a quote from both firms, Lamansky recommended that a Caterpillar 12M3 machine replace the department?s current 2005 770D John Deere motor grader.

Currently, the county already owns two CAT 12M3s, and four 770Ds.

After trading in the 2005 770D, the new machine will cost the county a total of $210,770.

?We?re trading in only one machine, and that?s the highest hour machine we have,? Lamansky said after the meeting. ?John Deere?s quote was a little lower, but we usually get a better trade-in with the Caterpillar.

The supervisors asked Lamansky why he recommended the CAT machine over the John Deere.

?The parts on a CAT are a lot stronger, and they are built with a little more quality,? Lamansky said, adding that the machine operators felt more comfortable with CAT machines, since a joystick device operates them, allowing operators? arms to rest in a natural position while they work.

Lamansky said John Deere machines have to be operated at high-chest level, and that the machines didn?t always meet expectations.

?So it?s less body strain,? Supervisor Becky Schmitz said of the CAT machine.

Lamansky agreed, and said the CAT machines did meet expectations.

Daryl Menninga of Murphy Tractor said John Deere had come out with a new machine controlled by joysticks.

However, Lamansky said the operators were more familiar with the CAT joysticks.

?They all know how to run the [controls] he said, referring to John Deere motor graders. ?Some of the them know how to operate the joy sticks ? we?re running both styles.?

Lamansky said the department currently had a good mix of both CAT and John Deere machines.

?We?ve always said that you do an excellent job,? Supervisor Lee Dimmitt told Lamansky. ?We trust your expertise; you?ve never let us down.?

?We like to do what the road crew requests,? Reed said, adding that he might like to purchase a machine from both CAT and John Deere.

?John Deere is getting to be a good product,? Lamansky said.

The supervisors approved the purchase of the CAT machine.

?We won?t always go with recommendations,? Reed said after the motion was unanimously approved, adding that if the CAT machines were perceived to be preferred, John Deere representatives might not cross the county?s threshold to provide a quote.

Lamansky said the CAT 12M3 had not been built yet.

?We?re expecting it in October or November,? he said.