More than half of last week’s Bulloch County Board of Commissioners meeting was consumed by discussion of such heavy equipment items as motor graders and backhoe loaders, and the vendors bidding to provide those services to the county.Much of that hour-plus discussion centered on what exactly constitutes a local vendor because Yancey Brothers, a Caterpillar equipment dealer with locations around the state, including on U.S. Highway 301 South outside Statesboro, asserted that it is in fact local to Bulloch County.The county had determined that Yancey was not a local vendor, but Yancey representatives appealed to the commissioners Tuesday, insisting the company is local because the Statesboro location provides full service. People can go in and buy new equipment and get repairs to equipment. The company also pays Bulloch County occupational and sales taxes for its Highway 301 facility, said Alan Arnsdorff, a regional sales representative for Yancey.What exactly is “local” is important because the county has a “local buying preference,” which allows vendors with that designation whose bids come within 5 percent of the lowest bid for a county purchase to rebid at the lower price.