ASHLAND — The Ashland County Highway Department will soon get a piece of equipment it’s tried since November to purchase.

The Ashland County Board of Commissioners on Thursday accepted a $195,966 bid from Cleveland-based AggCorp Equipment Systems.

The county originally advertised seven months ago its need for an estimated $200,000 portable, radial stack conveyor machine — used to stack stones and sand used to produce asphalt.

When the bid opening came Dec. 16, there were none to open, forcing commissioners to advertise again. That bid opening came and went again in January with no proposals.

The county received a bid finally on Jan. 13, but the estimated cost exceeded original estimates, forcing commissioners to re-advertise yet again.

County engineer Ed Meixner adjusted the estimate for the machine to $270,000. On June 9, commissioners opened three bids for the piece of equipment. The bid from AggCorp was the only one that came under the estimate.

The next step for the highway department is to place the order. And then wait. 

The office has been informed it will take about four months for the machine to be delivered.