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Roads leasing, backhoe purchase and subsidy discussed as county seeks cuts
Summary
Colfax County’s road fund, which is heavily subsidized by the general fund, contains several large leasing and capital items. Staff and commissioners discussed whether to cut a lease, review equipment charges, and how a recent backhoe purchase was charged to capital outlay rather than the roads fund.
Colfax County commissioners and staff reviewed the Road Department’s budget May 27 and focused on equipment lease obligations, a recent backhoe purchase and the department’s subsidy from the general fund.
Justin Menard and road staff showed that the road fund is heavily subsidized: prior‑year subsidy was about $1.2 million and the current projection shows just under $1.1 million with roughly $250,000–$260,000 nonrecurring. Commissioners discussed the department’s lease portfolio for heavy equipment (blades/graders) and whether one of seven leased blades could be deferred.
Backhoe purchase and capital coding
Audrey confirmed a recent backhoe purchase was budgeted in capital outlay: “the backhoe was purchased out of Capital Outlay for road department equipment 2180472 … 4094,” she said; staff then verified that the amount was not charged to the road fund’s operating lines. Commissioners asked staff to double‑check invoices and the Triadic accounting entries because an apparent jump in the lease/contract line appeared to be caused by vendor invoices that included a capital purchase.
Leases, staffing and service levels
Road managers reported seven blades (grader units) in current service with staffing levels to operate them. Commissioners noted the road department was short four positions and that leasing fewer machines could reduce costs but might reduce service capacity; the group discussed calculating per‑machine average lease cost to inform decisions.
Why it matters: the road fund is a major county expense with significant operational and capital commitments; it also draws a large annual subsidy from the general fund so changes there materially affect the county’s overall deficit.
Ending
Staff were asked to reconcile the leases and capital invoices, confirm which items are capital outlay versus operating lease charges, and show the net impact of removing one lease on both cost and service capacity. The commission also directed staff to reflect the deletion of one road position in the interim budget and to show the updated general‑fund impact.
