By: Charles Romans
Carter County Times
The Carter County fiscal court held a special session last month to discuss either the repair or the replacement of a Kubota excavator. The excavator in question is approximately ten years old, and judge executive Brandon Burton informed the court that it had broken down again. The current issue, a pump system according to a mechanic’s estimate, is the most recent maintenance issue for the excavator. The current repair is estimated to cost approximately $20,000 to complete.
Any significant repair to large equipment like the excavator is typically a ‘high ticket’ repair, so numerous major issues can quickly add up to the point that it becomes more cost effective to replace the equipment in question. Judge Burton broached the subject of trading the excavator in on a new model, and asked the court their opinion on getting a trade-in quote. Burton also mentioned that the court might get a better trade-in by trading the Kubota brand excavator in on a new Kubota, but that was not guaranteed.
The court voted to begin the process of accepting bids on replacing the excavator. Bids will be accepted until May 19, at 3 pm. Bids will be accepted from multiple equipment dealerships, including Kubota, with the intent of using the 10-year-old excavator as a trade-in against the price of the new purchase.
In other business, the fiscal court had the first reading of their budget for 2026. The second reading is expected to be held on the court’s next scheduled meeting date of May 19. The court also voted to accept claims and transfers, as well as an amendment to the 2025 budget. The amendment involved overages that were added back into the budget in April, as opposed to being added in at the end of the budget year. The court also voted to approve standing orders.
Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com
