Teton County Road & Bridge leaders reviewed a broad capital and operating budget that includes road reconstruction projects, bridge replacements, equipment leases and purchases, and related staffing and maintenance needs. Staff and commissioners focused on which projects to fund with limited revenue, how to use impact fees versus remaining cash, and leases versus purchases for heavy equipment.

Road & Bridge presented a plan that relies on several revenue streams: a county road levy, state registration and distribution formulas, grant awards and impact fees. Staff said revenue for the coming fiscal year is uncertain — in part because of one-time state payments and variable registration distributions — and that the department may need to use remaining cash for capital reconstruction projects if anticipated state funding does not arrive.

Major equipment items discussed included motor grader leases due to expire in the next 12 months and a previously authorized dump-truck loan. Staff explained that leasing new graders spreads repair risk and includes maintenance that would otherwise make older owned machines expensive to operate; commissioners asked for options and exact lease figures. Road & Bridge staff also presented a request to purchase a survey-grade GPS rover system (options ranged from an entry-level $25,000 package to $85,000 for a full RTK-capable kit) to reduce outside survey costs and improve construction quality control.

On capital projects, staff described ongoing multi-year reconstruction efforts (notably work on 4000 North and 5000 West) and said they had $750,000 in impact-fee balances that could be matched with grant awards for reconstructed segments. Bridge work includes several short-span wooden bridges that have been ‘sistered up’ but will need replacement; design work is underway and staff proposed using the bridge fund and reconstruction reserves to pay for them.

Search-and-rescue and emergency-management facility needs also came up in the same session. Staff proposed using a portion of the county’s capital allocations or impact fees to advance floor and building improvements and to buy a UTV and snow plow for search-and-rescue operations; commissioners discussed prioritizing life-safety and equipment needs over other capital asks.

Ending: Commissioners asked staff to return with prioritized lists showing (a) grant-match opportunities using impact fees, (b) lease vs. buy analysis for graders and trucks, and (c) the GPS purchase options and staged implementation costs.