Teton commissioners to consider $40k buyout of leased Recycling Center forklift

The Teton County Board of County Commissioners will consider buying the Recycling Center’s currently leased forklift from Arnold Machinery for $40,000 as a sole-source purchase at its April 21 meeting. Staff says the Integrated Solid Waste & Recycling (ISWR) division has leased a rotational forklift since December 2021 and has spent about $116,050 in rental costs over five fiscal years. (Recycling Center Staff Report Packet — Sole Source Purchase of Existing Leased Forklift)

ISWR recently bid a new forklift and received three offers, but staff deemed two nonresponsive because they did not meet key specifications (mast minimums and other required features). The only bid that met specifications was $151,240 with an estimated 210-day (about 30-week) delivery, which staff said would require keeping the lease another $15,000–$16,000 while waiting. (Recycling Center Staff Report Packet — Sole Source Purchase of Existing Leased Forklift)

Staff argues the buyout is the better lifecycle deal: the in-service unit has about 2,464 hours, the battery was serviced in 2025 with “like-new” performance, and it is expected to have 7–10 more years of service (with a battery replacement likely needed within about four years). The staff report’s comparison estimates a new forklift at about $15,100 per year over its life versus about $5,700 per year for the buyout, with similar maintenance costs. (Recycling Center Staff Report Packet — Sole Source Purchase of Existing Leased Forklift)