Wichita County Commissioners on Friday discussed a plan to streamline Road & Bridge equipment for chip-seal season, with particular focus on precinct-level brooms, rubber-tire rollers and road tractors.

Commissioner Watts and precinct staff described current equipment limitations: several older brooms and rollers are in poor condition, many parts are obsolete (some tires and hydraulic components are no longer produced), and only one broom/roller combination remains fully operational in the county. Staff said annual brush wear on brooms runs to at least one full replacement set per year.

Options discussed included designating a newer broom and associated heavy equipment to Precinct 5 as a hub; trading in or selling older units (the county could place surplus equipment on an online auction platform such as Purple Wave); renting rubber-tire rollers and other large machinery during the March–September season; and valuing existing tractors/dumps to offset purchases so precincts could pay differences in 2026 budgets. Commissioners asked staff to assemble inventories and valuations of tractors, dump trucks and trailers to support any transfer or sale decisions.

Staff offered a price range for used brooms in the market (roughly in the neighborhood of $40,000 for a higher-quality used unit, depending on hours and condition) and noted larger modern rollers weigh 23 tons compared with older models that weigh roughly 12–14 tons. Commissioners were cautious about timing because a broader vehicle/engine redesign in the industry is expected in coming model years, which could affect resale and parts availability.

Direction from the court: staff will catalog equipment by precinct, provide valuations and rental-availability research, and bring options (including potential auction lists and budget-year timing) back to a future meeting. No purchases or transfers were authorized at the session.

Ending: Commissioners asked Road & Bridge staff to return with a compiled inventory, valuations and rental options so the court can consider equipment transfers, auctioning surplus items and budgeting for replacements next year.