The Henry County Board of Supervisors is looking at partnering with several other Iowa counties to purchase a piece of specialized road equipment.
County Engineer Jake Hotchkiss brought the possible joint purchase before the Board of Supervisors Thursday as part of his weekly update. The proposal involves sharing the equipment among multiple counties.
The equipment being considered is a Weiler S-200 soil stabilizer and road reclaimer. The machine breaks up and agitates soil, rock, asphalt and other materials to help road crews stabilize and build up road surfaces as well as apply chemical binders to increase the load-bearing strength of the road.
Hotchkiss says eight counties so far are looking at sharing the machine. The used equipment has a purchase price of $193,750. If the cost is divided equally among the eight counties, each county would contribute just over $24,000. The counties would enter into a 28E agreement outlining how the equipment will be shared. Some details are still being worked out, including which county will house and insure the machine.
Hotchkiss says he is confident those issues can be worked out among the participating counties. The joint purchase would give Henry County access to specialized road equipment but spread the cost out among counties. Ultimately, Hotchkiss believes the purchase will pay for itself quickly and save the county money over time. He also says Henry County’s share will fit within the Secondary Roads budget without issue, following the county’s purchase of an excavator in fiscal year 2026, which left room in the fiscal year 2027 budget for the soil stabilizer.
Hotchkiss also provided updates on ongoing Secondary Roads work, including blading and resurfacing roads, mowing and brush removal.
Crews have started brush clearing near Winfield on Quaker Avenue ahead of a potential road closure to replace two 60-inch culverts. The county plans to notify the public ahead of the closure, which is expected to last about a week. No residences are located along the affected stretch of road.
At the county quarry, Preston Ready Mix completed its crushing operation Monday, producing a total of 109,667 tons of material.
The county is also preparing for work on approximately one mile of Hickory Avenue and 245th Street, which is expected to take two days and begin on Monday or Tuesday.
Hotchkiss says the project on Hickory Ave. will provide a good opportunity to test the rented equipment and determine whether it is a machine the county wants to purchase. They will use it to mix the road’s base material. If the county moves forward with the joint purchase of the Weiler S200, the rental fees for the equipment will be applied toward that purchase.