Gila County public works director briefs supervisors on roads, equipment and budget; urges five-year capital plan

Homero Palmeiro, director of Gila County Public Works, told the Board of Supervisors on March 25 the department faces competing demands across miles of county and Forest Service roads, aging heavy equipment and a limited recurring revenue stream that together make a five‑year capital plan essential.

Palmeiro summarized revenues, capital needs and ongoing projects and urged the board to require a multi‑year plan as part of the budget process. He said the county’s HEERF revenue sources and other transportation revenues total about $9,000,000 in 2024 and that the department currently holds approximately $17,000,000 in carryforward funds from prior years. Those carryforward funds are encumbered by ongoing projects, he said, and he recommended preserving a multi‑million‑dollar buffer for future grant matches, unexpected cost increases and revenue volatility.

On road mileage and staffing, Palmeiro said the department has 32 road operators (including supervisors) and that, on average, each operator is responsible for about 24 miles of road. He repeated a central theme: “we are stretching the dollar already,” and emphasized that inflation has outpaced modest increases in gas/excise revenues since 2006.

Forest Service roads and material pits

Palmeiro and supervisors discussed the county’s maintenance of roughly 484 miles of Forest Service roads. Supervisors and public works staff said those roads receive more recreational traffic than in past years and that increased use accelerates degradation. The presentation recommended a pragmatic reassessment of which Forest Service roads the county should maintain and suggested a future work session with the Forest Service to quantify the county’s contribution and discuss shared funding for material pits and improved surfacing.

Palmeiro said available material pits often lack clay or binder, making gravel prone to blowing and rapid deterioration. He described planning for expanded pits and environmental assessments, and noted prior discussions about trialing clay or chemical binders (calcium chloride, magnesium chloride, lignosulfate) to extend road life. He recommended pursuing material pits with better binder content and coordinating cost‑sharing with the Forest Service.

Equipment and staffing

Public works presented a multiyear equipment plan. The department reported 14 active motor graders (some units older than 30 years), numerous dump trucks and other heavy machines approaching end‑of‑life. Palmeiro said the department would like to replace two high‑hour motor graders in the near term and identified a proposal of roughly $1.5 million in capital equipment for fiscal year 2026 and $650,000 for fiscal year 2027 if the board approves phased replacement.

Palmeiro and staff also reviewed alternatives — purchasing used equipment, renting rollers during chip‑seal season, or auctioning older units — and advised against leasing as a cost‑effective strategy today. Supervisors and mechanics discussed brand consolidation versus open bidding for county vehicles; staff noted maintenance familiarity and parts training favor continuing with a principal vendor but acknowledged potential savings from competitive procurement.

Chip seal and pavement strategy

Public works reported plans to chip‑seal about 26 miles in the spring 2025 cycle at an estimated $741,000 — a record annual mileage for the county — followed by a multi‑year program that would average additional miles through 2029. Palmeiro presented textbook estimates for routine pavement preservation (crack seal, chip seal and re‑graveling), and said reconstruction remains costly (he cited up to about $1 million per mile for full pavement reconstruction). He urged prioritizing grant applications for larger pavement projects and using county crews and equipment for chip‑seal work where feasible.

Budget and five‑year planning

Palmeiro offered a two‑year equipment and capital projection and argued the board should require a five‑year capital plan before approving the FY‑26 budget. Using his model, he showed a constrained recurring revenue picture: about $4.5 million in salaries, $3.2 million in operating supplies (including material for crack and chip seal), roughly $1 million for routine preservation and $600,000 for capital equipment if the county lives “within our means.” He warned that without a longer horizon the county risks exhausting carryforward funds needed for local matches on large grants (Russell Road, Gibson Ranch Road, others).

Policy proposals and next steps

Palmeiro introduced several policy ideas for future board consideration: a consolidated county road policy (acceptance criteria for adding new county roads, gravel‑road standards, minimal traffic thresholds), updates to the dust‑palliative policy and a possible citizens’ advisory road commission to review petitions and capital priorities. He recommended clearer standards for accepting new roads into the county system to avoid maintaining substandard 20‑foot roads that increase long‑term maintenance costs.

Palmeiro closed by urging supervisors to authorize staff to build a five‑year capital plan and to pursue stronger coordination with the Forest Service on material pits and cost‑sharing. He also announced his planned retirement and thanked staff; supervisors and county manager offered public appreciation.