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During the Troup County Board of Commissioners work session on Tuesday morning, the county discussed a proposal from the roads department to trade in six pieces of old equipment for two new ones.

County Engineer James Emery recommended replacing the equipment due to the changing needs of the roads department. The equipment was previously paid for using SPLOST funds and is mostly worn out. Trading it in will allow the county to get something for the equipment, which otherwise would have ended up as recycled metal.

The roads department is looking to purchase a new Leeboy 8500E Asphalt Paver and a new Dynapac CA1300D Compactor/Roller for $308,047.70. The total trade in value of the six pieces is $98,500 for a difference of $209,547.70 cost to the county. 

Road Superintendent Kevin Kinnersley said the new equipment better suits the work the roads department currently performs. He said when the previous equipment was purchased the county was paving more long, straight roads, which it currently contracts out.

“It was designed for what we were doing at the time, which was long-line paving, when we had access to inmate labor, just a lot more boots on the ground to do that in house,” Kinnersley said, explaining now long-line paving is contracted out to CW Matthews.

The county currently does a lot of smaller jobs patching asphalt, a couple of which are coming up soon.

“When we have tried to use the [current machine] in that kind of setting where you have a curtain gutter with a tight radius, it’s really almost impossible. It’s like a bull in a China shop,” Kinnersley said.

Not only is the equipment ill suited for the county’s current needs, it’s worn out and repairs are difficult. The company that repairs the equipment no longer has a facility in the state and parts are hard to find.

“It doesn’t fit what we do now anymore. The roller that we’re asking to replace is an old roller that basically, long story short, the engine is shot. [We] looked for months to try to find a replacement engine, but I think the roller was just so old, there’s nothing we’ve been able to find. And it’s an essential piece of our arsenal,” Kinnersley said.

“I think this is a great opportunity to get something for this old equipment, whereas I’m afraid, if we wait much longer, we’ll be selling sheet metal,” Kinnersley said, “It’s a great opportunity to get a good trading value for some new equipment that meets our needs.”

Money for the purchase would come from remaining SPLOST funds.