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Pike County public works over budget on salt, explores salt barn and spray truck to bolster winter operations
Summary
County officials told the fiscal court they have exceeded the salt budget after multiple winter storms, are considering converting a county‑owned warehouse into a salt storage site, and discussed buying a spray truck and hiring certified sprayers to manage roadside weeds; no formal votes were taken.
Pike County officials told the Fiscal Court on Wednesday the county has already exceeded its winter salt budget and has placed multiple emergency orders this season, prompting discussion of a permanent salt storage solution and changes to winter operations.
Public works staff said the county has accessed state contract salt multiple times this winter and has placed three orders so far; a shipment was expected the following day. Commissioners discussed converting an existing county‑owned metal warehouse from South Williamson into a temporary salt storage site by pouring concrete pads and constructing perimeter walls to hold stockpiles, which would be cheaper than building a full salt barn.
Officials said storage is urgent because state contract deliveries come from out of state and can be delayed by the same weather that creates local demand. Paul (public works) was asked to cost out repairs and concrete work for the warehouse; no procurement or funding decision was made.
Staff also raised the idea of buying or sourcing a used spray truck for summer roadside weed control. The court discussed operational limits: only certified applicators can use herbicides, storage requirements for chemicals, and potential public complaints if spraying occurs near private yards. Public works staff said a targeted approach — spraying mouth‑of‑hollow stretches and high‑visibility corridors — would be most feasible given limited staffing and roughly 1,000 miles of county roads.
Discussion covered equipment and staffing: public works currently has roughly four paid employees in some crews and relies on inmate crews for additional labor; officials said adding spray responsibilities would likely require hiring more seasonal staff or dedicating two employees to spraying during the summer.
Court members also discussed road signage and missed routes during snow operations, suggesting route checklists and in‑vehicle manifests to ensure new drivers cover assigned roads. Officials noted theft and vandalism of green road signs and that some roads are dangerous or impassable in bad weather, which can cause missed plow runs.
No formal motions or votes were taken on the salt barn, spray truck, or staffing changes; commissioners asked staff to obtain cost estimates and return with numbers for future consideration.
