Saline County approves traffic-paint and bead contracts despite bead price jump

Justin, the county engineer, told the Saline County Board of Commissioners that bids opened Feb. 17 produced six paint bids and two bids for reflective glass beads and that staff recommended accepting the low paint bids and the low bead bid.

"The total combined cost, for the paint and the beads is a $136,707.75," Justin said, noting the current budget line for paint and beads is $145,000. He recommended awarding paint to Diamond Vogel (yellow at $10.68 per gallon; white at $10.56 per gallon) and the reflective beads to Potters Industries (about $0.544 per pound).

Commissioners pressed Justin on the apparent rise in bead costs. Justin and Road and Bridge Administrator Darren Fischel explained the county changed its delivery requirement this year to insist on flatbed delivery to reduce safety and handling issues associated with 2,000‑pound totes shipped in containers. Justin said last year’s supplier did not bid under the new delivery terms; that supplier had shipped beads in 1‑ton totes manufactured overseas and moved through an East Coast distributor.

"That [packaging and shipping] provided a lot of challenges for us just to get those big, you know, 1‑ton totes out of the shipping container," Justin said, explaining the county’s preference for flatbed deliveries that can be handled with forklifts.

Darren described how the county’s paint truck uses an intake port and vacuum system to load beads from palletized boxes, a method that did not work well with the previous tote packaging and that had contributed to an accident when material had to be shifted by loader.

The board briefly heard a public comment urging the commissioners to seek the lowest cost for taxpayers. After discussion the board moved, seconded and approved the recommended purchase, approving RFA 2026‑31 as presented. The board recorded the ayes and the purchase was authorized.

The county will pay the invoices from the paint/beads budget line; staff said other markings (railroad crossings, symbols) also draw from that line. Justin confirmed the recommended purchases fall within the current budgeted amount and that staff can follow up with the prior bidder to determine why it did not submit a proposal this year.

What happens next: staff will finalize contracts and order the paint and beads from the recommended vendors. Any further supplier follow‑up or changes to delivery requirements will be handled administratively.