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Dunn County favors Wisconsin DOT composite equipment rates as staff warn of equipment CIP shortfall and hard-to-fill fabricator roles
Summary
At the Sept. 10 meeting county staff recommended continuing to use Wisconsin DOT composite equipment rates for winter reimbursement, reported delays and cost increases for planned equipment, and said hiring for welding/fabrication roles remains difficult.
County highway staff told the Dunn County Highway Committee Sept. 10 that they will again apply to use Wisconsin DOT composite equipment rates for winter operations and warned of potential capital-equipment shortfalls and staffing gaps.
Justin, a highway engineering staff member, explained the difference between composite and standard equipment rates: composite rates reimburse a truck plus all attached equipment for the hours the unit is used, while standard rates reimburse each attachment by its actual hours. "We have elected to utilize composite rates," Justin said, describing accounting and time-card advantages and saying the county will notify WisDOT annually of its intent to use the composite method.
Staff also reported equipment delays and rising prices. Joyce, a county administrative/financial staff member, said the 7,100 equipment replacement fund projection is roughly $1.3 million and that the county is projecting a potential equipment budget shortfall because ordered vehicles and loaders have delivery uncertainty. Justin said two pickup trucks on order are delayed and a loader's arrival date was uncertain.
Operational readiness and staffing were discussed. Brent said crews can mount plows quickly, but full winter conversions (plow, sander and wing) take around three hours per truck. "The plows we can put on really fast...The sanders will probably be another hour...and then another hour for the wing," Brent said. Committee members raised difficulty hiring welders and fabricators; staff said the market is tight and higher wages would be required to recruit experienced fabricators.
Why it matters: equipment-capacity and staffing shortfalls affect winter road response and maintenance budgets. Composite-rate reimbursement can reduce accounting error and administrative burden but does not change the need for reliable equipment and qualified shop personnel.
Next steps: staff will submit the annual WisDOT composite-rate notice, continue to track equipment delivery and fund balances, and include projected shortfalls in 2026 budget discussions.
