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County proposes policy changes to dust‑abatement process, seeks to shift billing to vendors
Summary
Public works staff proposed revisions to the county’s dust‑abatement policy to clarify responsibilities, remove county billing duties for private magnesium‑chloride applications, and require vendors to secure payment before scheduling work. Staff will return a draft resolution to the Board for approval at a future consent agenda.
Franklin County public works staff on Wednesday proposed revising the county’s dust‑abatement policy (internal RPP No. 4) to clarify roles and transfer administrative billing duties for privately requested magnesium‑chloride applications to the vendors that supply the product.
Craig Erdman, public works speaker during the workshop, said the county’s role has been to prepare and blade roads while private landowners arrange and pay contractors to apply dust‑abatement product. “Our role for dust abatement with the citizens is to prep the roadways,” he said, and public works wants to remove itself from third‑party billing and payment collection for private transactions.
What would change: Under the proposed approach, private applicants would contract and pay the magnesium‑chloride supplier directly; the supplier would confirm payment to schedule application, and public works would perform its existing prep work (grading/blading) on the published schedule. Staff said vendors would be required to obtain payment up front and would not schedule application until funds were received, removing the county from billing and collection processes. Public works also proposed charging interest (example: 1% after 30 days) for any late payments where the county still acts on a special schedule.
Why it matters: County staff said the change reduces administrative burden and billing follow‑up for public works and avoids treating public staff as private contractors’ bill collectors. The county’s recent numbers for dust‑abatement‑related county activity showed about $234,000 in associated work and materials in the referenced period; staff said that sum has been handled through their maintenance budgets and that the county does not currently charge the contractor’s customary administrative fee.
Next steps: Public works will bring a draft resolution and proposed notification letter back to the Board on the February 5 consent agenda; staff also proposed notifying regular annual applicants in advance of the policy change.
Commissioner discussion and clarifications: Commissioners asked about scheduling conflicts where private applicants request application dates that do not match the county’s grading schedule. Staff replied the normal practice will continue—public works will publish a routine period when roads are prepped and will coordinate with applicants and vendors. If an applicant requests a special trip outside scheduled work, additional charges or scheduling delays may apply. Erdman said the county historically gets paid for all private permits, but collection can lag; requiring vendors to hold payment prior to scheduling reduces county administrative follow‑up.
Ending: Staff will return a revised policy and draft resolution for the Board’s consideration at a future meeting and will send courtesy notice to prior applicants before the policy takes effect.
