The Jasper County Conservation Department has moved some money around in their budget to purchase a bigger skid loader than the one the department has, and a mulcher. The combined cost is just over $180,000. County Supervisor and Board Chairman Brandon Talsma says money that was earmarked for a new park maintenance/storage building will be used for these purchases.

“Because we are talking about bonding for the Mariposa shed and the Sheriff’s Office Training Center, that opens up funding in her budget in this current fiscal year that can be reallocated from the Mariposa shed to the purchase of these two pieces of equipment.”

The skid loader is being purchased from Ziegler Caterpillar in Altoona for $140, 061, while the $40,206 mulcher is from Star Equipment Limited in Des Moines.