The highway budget review underscored material‑price pressure and growing drainage work needs. Jeff, the road agent, said the cost of cold patch has risen sharply (he said the town paid about $85/ton when he started but the current market prices are much higher and specialized patch producers set regional prices); he reported that pavers and cold‑patch suppliers charge by ton and that local suppliers' cold‑patch is expensive because of production constraints.
Jeff said aggregate suppliers vary: Brock's supplies gravel at lower prices, while cold‑patch producers or more distant suppliers charge more. He told the board the town typically buys 40–70 tons of patch a year, usually in 7–8‑ton (six‑wheeler) deliveries. The board discussed the tradeoffs between cold patch and hot patch equipment; Jeff said hot‑patch operations require different machinery, storage and handling and carry their own costs.
Salt costs have also risen: Jeff cited a recent quote showing a 6% increase in the salt line compared with last year and noted another supplier with higher per‑ton pricing. He also asked to increase the brush‑cutting line by $2,000 to address sight‑distance and canopy problems on local roads and to preserve pavement life through ditching and shoulder work.
The highway agent said planned work funded from block grant and impact fees will include Crowley Road and a failed culvert on Old Manchester Road that requires replacement; those projects will use a mix of block highway money and local funds. Jeff asked the board to note that uneven grant timing has produced “bunching” of replacements and urged a proactive, staggered approach to avoid large spikes in future years.
Board members asked for a clear list of proposed paving and drainage projects and for updated quotes; Jeff said he'll provide those and repeated his request that the board restore the previously proposed 5% asphalt allowance that had been removed in earlier draft calculations.