Gila County public works director outlines road miles, equipment needs, chip-seal plan and budget risks ahead of retirement

Homero Palmeiro, the county’s public works director, briefed the Gila County Board of Supervisors on March 25 on road miles, revenues, equipment replacement needs, ongoing projects and policy proposals — and said he expects to retire soon.

Palmeiro told the board that Public Works has 32 road operators who collectively maintain roughly 750 miles of county roads and that ‘‘in general in Gila County Public Works, our operators… maintain 24 miles per person.’’ He described three broad budget pressures: longstanding revenue limits tied to fuel and excise taxes, inflation that outpaces modest year-to-year gains, and a backlog of equipment and capital needs. Palmeiro said the county’s public-works revenue from core sources was ‘‘a little over $9,000,000 in 2024’’ and that a carryforward balance held additional funds but that the department is approaching a point at which it must ‘‘live within our means.’'

Equipment and fleet: Palmeiro and staff reviewed the department’s heavy-equipment inventory and proposed replacements. The department has 14 active motor graders and identified two older graders (model years cited in presentation) recommended for near-term replacement because of hours and parts-availability concerns. The draft capital proposal spreads equipment purchases across fiscal 2026 and 2027, with equipment requests totaling roughly $1.5 million in FY26 and $650,000 in FY27 as the first-phase estimate. Palmeiro said staff favor buying used replacements rather than leasing due to lease interest costs and recommended targeted swaps so newer equipment is distributed across road yards.

Chip-seal and pavement preservation: The presentation included a five-year pavement-preservation strategy. For spring 2025 the department planned a record 26-mile chip-seal program with a material budget of about $741,000 for those miles; staff estimate chip-seal material at about $35,000 per mile and crack-seal material at about $10,000 per mile. Palmeiro described a lower-cost approach for certain previously sealed roads: contract milling of old asphalt followed by county double chip sealing. He warned that full pavement reconstruction costs remain roughly $1 million per mile and that projects of that scale will require state or federal grants.

Forest Service and material pits: The board heard that roughly 484 miles of Forest Service roads are maintained under agreement and that changing recreational use (ATVs/UTVs) and hunting have increased maintenance demands. Palmeiro said the county needs better material pits with finer binder (clay) for durable road surfacing and described work to pursue new pits and environmental assessments, some of which the Forest Service partially funds. He and staff discussed trials to improve surface stability (mixing clay, using stabilizers such as calcium/magnesium chloride or lignosulfate) to lengthen road life and reduce rework.

Projects and funding: Ongoing and proposed projects include Russell Gulch (smart-grant-funded design with an ADOT-managed reconstruction effort), Golden Hills sidewalk phase, Houston Mesa Road, Gibson Ranch Road design and other watershed and drainage items; Palmeiro said the funnel of projects totals about $15 million with roughly $11.6 million expected from external grants and $3.6 million county share. He urged the board to adopt a five-year capital plan at budget time so the county can balance recurring operating revenues against multi-year capital commitments.

Policy proposals: Palmeiro raised policy issues for future board action, including a consolidated county road policy and gravel-road design standard, clearer criteria for adding roads to the county-maintained system, a review of the county’s dust-palliative policy and a possible “road commission” or citizen advisory committee to provide independent input on road priorities and petitions. He noted the county currently applies Arizona Revised Statutes language about petition-driven road additions and said staff are preparing draft ordinances or policy language for board review.

Staffing, training and apprenticeships: The department has an in-house apprenticeship and CDL training effort and is updating operator certification paperwork and skills tests to meet OSHA and LTAP-style training standards; Palmaeiro asked that the board endorse a progression policy that recognizes equivalent training pathways if LTAP seats are limited.

Retirement and succession: Palmeiro told the board this work session is likely his last and thanked staff and supervisors; colleagues and the county manager praised his leadership and urged staff continuity. Supervisors did not take formal action on the items at the meeting; Palmeiro said staff will return with detailed budget requests and proposed ordinances.

Palmeiro’s presentation included specific budget markers and proposed next steps rather than final votes. Staff were directed to continue work on grant applications, material-pit environmental assessments and a five-year capital plan for the board’s budget review.