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Public Works warns of rising material costs, Springfield waste exports and reduced paving capacity as budget strains grow
Summary
Lane County Public Works presented divisional budgets May 13, flagging rising personnel and materials costs, reduced capacity for paving and equipment, a shortfall in waste management revenues after neighboring waste exports, and a staff‑approved phased fee increase for land‑use services.
Lane County Public Works told the budget committee on May 13 that rising materials costs, labor market pressure and local decisions by hauling companies are straining several funds and will require service reductions and fee changes.
Director Dan Hurley and division managers described a department with about 392 proposed FTE and a mix of revenue sources including tipping fees, state highway fund allocations and property‑tax levies. Hurley said higher personnel costs and inflation drove a departmental expense increase even as the department trimmed many materials and services line items. “Our expenses in this budget have increased by 17%,” Hurley said, and noted personnel costs are the largest driver.
Nut graf: Managers highlighted three immediate tensions: rising unit costs for paving materials, lower waste‑management revenue after Springfield‑area waste began moving out of county, and structural deficits in land‑use permit revenues that the county plans to address via a phased fee increase.
Waste management manager Jeff Landini told the committee that export of waste from Springfield’s service area has reduced tonnage — and revenues — at the county landfill and transfer stations, undercutting programs paid by tipping fees such as household hazardous‑waste collection, recycling education and nuisance‑abatement cleanup. “When someone isn't using that resource, we are still providing those services to the entire community and . . . kind of not made whole on those,” Landini said. He told the committee the division intends to pursue regional planning and revenue options to stabilize the system and hopes to rebuild reserves gradually.
Roads operations manager Oren Schumacher and engineering manager Sasha (Sanya) Hartanian said construction and paving costs have risen sharply. Schumacher said Lane County historically maintained a Pavement Condition Index in the low 80s but that without new revenue the index will decline: “We don't have that anymore. So we're expecting and anticipating to see a decline in that.” Hurley and staff called out oil and aggregate price increases — bidders for road oil reported much higher per‑ton prices this year — and said the county will likely reduce paving throughput in the coming year.
Land management division manager Kier Miller told the committee the division faces a projected structural shortfall and will phase in fee increases over three years, drawing down reserves in the near term. “Our plan is to, 3 years out from now, have a structurally balanced budget based on this phased in fee increase,” Miller said; the board approved the first phase the same day, staff reported.
Stormwater and urban infrastructure also factored in the discussion. Managers said the county lacks a dedicated stormwater utility fee and thus funds stormwater work from road funds, a dynamic that reduces road maintenance capacity. Commissioners asked whether a stormwater fee would require voter approval; staff said the board could adopt a fee but that local practice and politics often lead to voter referral.
Ending: Directors urged continued outreach to Springfield and other partners over waste flows, exploration of potential import strategies to support the county landfill and further legislative engagement on transportation funding to offset operation and capital pressures.
