County road crews will soon be able to make longer lasting pot hole repairs and do so quickly.
Grady County commissioners on Tuesday morning approved the purchase of a tractor mounted four-ton asphalt recycler and hot box to be used in filling pot holes in county roads.
“By using hot mix, we can fill the holes and seal them better. They will not pop back out like happens with cold patch,” Grady County administrator J.C. (Buddy) Johnson III, said.
The administrator said Transportation Special Purpose Local Option Sales Tax proceeds can be used to purchase the new piece of equipment, but he projects that the machine will be paid for in less than three years from the savings from reduced purchases of cold patch asphalt.
Commissioner LaFaye Copeland questioned if the vendor would train county personnel on the operation of the new equipment. According to county road superintendent Stanley Elkins, the firm will train his staff and he intends to have supervisors present whenever the new equipment is used.
“I would encourage you to put a seasoned veteran on it,” Chairman Phillip Drew said to Elkins.
Commissioner June Knight inquired if the new unit could be rented to other jurisdictions such as the cities of Cairo and Whigham. Administrator Johnson said that was a possibility in the future, but he recommended it strictly be used for county roads initially.
The board accepted the low bid of $54,200 from Reynolds-Warren Equipment Company of Lake City. Other bids received included $57,500 from Stringfellow Inc. of Nashville, Tenn. and $55,976 from Richmond Machinery of Richmond, Va.
Commissioner Ray Prince asked Elkins if he planned to use the new reclamator the county purchased on road improvement projects such as Old Thomasville Road.
“Yes. We’ve got plenty to do and we will be putting it to use,” the road superintendent said.
“Once we get you out of the trash business, you can work on some of that,” Chairman Phillip Drew said.
