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Board signals preference to use SB1 revenue first for road maintenance, directs staff on 2025 SB1 project list
Summary
After a study session on Feb. 11, supervisors signaled support for prioritizing SB1 funds to restore traditional road-maintenance operations before allocating the balance to contracted pavement projects; Public Works will return with a proposed SB1 project list and multi-year paving program.
Calaveras County's Board of Supervisors on Feb. 11 heard a study session from Public Works about a structural deficit in the county road fund and directed staff to prepare a 2025 SB1 project list and a draft multi-year paving program that prioritizes maintaining in-house road-maintenance operations.
Public Works and staff explained that traditional road revenues (gas taxes, highway-user taxes and other allocations) are flat or declining, while operating costs are increasing. The department projected a structural deficit in the road fund of roughly $2 million to $2.5 million over five years under current assumptions. SB1 (Road Maintenance and Rehabilitation funds) revenue is projected to grow in the near term and is the most viable short-term source to address the gap.
Staff presented alternatives: (1) new transfers from the general fund, (2) allocate more transient-occupancy-tax receipts to roads, (3) increase funding/minimize expenses, or (4) pivot SB1 use to first fund traditional maintenance performed by county crews and use the remaining SB1 funds for contracted pavement projects. Supervisors expressed support for option (4) and asked staff to return with a recommended SB1 project list and a year-one program ready for bidding.
Staff also discussed a $3.32 million one-time SB1 deposit the board previously moved into a special revenue fund and recommended keeping at least $3 million in that reserve for cash flow, match opportunities and emergency needs while using a portion for 2025 pavement projects. Staff identified three candidate projects for 2025 (Harvickson Lane, Baldwin Street and O'Byrnes Ferry Road) and noted the CIP estimates will be updated before projects are programmed.
Board concerns and public comment Supervisors emphasized keeping frontline road crews funded to preserve day-to-day maintenance and pothole response. Public commenters raised concerns about an earlier departmental misallocation of funds (October 2024) and objected to proposed staffing reductions; the County CEO and Public Works director said staffing adjustments would be handled through the mid-year budget process and follow meet-and-confer obligations.
Next steps Public Works will return in March with a recommended SB1 project list for 2025 and a draft multi-year paving program, and will provide updated project cost estimates for board review in April when the CIP is presented.
