Frank Davis, director of Smith County Road and Bridge, presented his department's FY-26 budget request, calling for nine additional field operators, more funding for seal-coat/contract surface treatment, and equipment to increase in-house capacity for paving and maintenance.

Davis said the county is currently funded primarily by the Road and Bridge Fund and that the county's dedicated road tax (currently 4.25 cents) has helped the department reduce general-fund supplementation; he noted that moving to a 5-cent rate would generate additional revenue.

Staffing: Davis asked for nine additional operators to expand field crews. He said the intent is to balance paving and maintenance by increasing maintenance crew staffing so paving crews can focus on in-house projects. He presented a scenario that would increase full-time Road & Bridge employees in the labor division from 65 to 74 and listed the corresponding salary and benefit increases.

Maintenance and contract work: Davis proposed boosting contract surface-treatment funding from recent levels to $2 million to address roads needing seal coat every seven to ten years. He also recommended a $1 million annual road-project line to keep in-house reconstruction work visible and tracked separately from routine asphalt maintenance.

Equipment and capital: Davis requested equipment including a second road reclaimer (costly but useful for in-house reconstruction), mower decks ("Rhino"/woods equipment), a mini-excavator, a bucket truck for tree limb removal, three crew-cab pickups and other shop improvements including an updated fuel-facility remediation plan.

Davis said recent storms and debris-clearance operations had taken crews away from planned paving projects and that added staffing would reduce reliance on outside contractors; commissioners asked whether the added headcount and equipment would reduce contract costs, and Davis said it likely would and that he will return with more detailed estimates.

No formal action was taken; commissioners thanked Road and Bridge staff and asked staff to provide additional materials on bond-program progress and the department's plan to shift more work in house.