By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

The Ellis County Commission approved a rebuild of a 30-year-old Caterpillar scraper at Monday’s commission meeting.

The scraper, which has been used at the landfill for moving dirt for the sports complex and for work on the Hays Airport runways, has more than 15,000 hours on it and was used for 385 hours in 2017, according to Public Works Director Bill Ring.

According to a quote from Foley Caterpillar of Great Bend, a 2018 scraper would cost $743,505. To have Cat complete a certified rebuild of the scraper will cost $346,728.

The rebuild will be a complete overhaul of the piece of equipment. According to Ring, it will include a remanufactured engine and transmission, a new paint job, new cab interior and more.

Keith Backman with Foley said, “When you get it back it will be like a new machine.”

He also said that because the cost of equipment continues to go up, more governmental entities are having the rebuilds done to save money.

The commission also gave the Public Works Department approval to work with the city of Hays on its 2018 chip seal project. County crews have worked with Ellis and Victoria on similar chip seal projects in the past.

In other business, the commission approved a payment from the Courthouse Preservation Committee to Kansas Granite for exterior granite.

Fire Chief Darin Myers presented the commission with the 2017 Annual Fire Report.