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Highway division budget rises slightly as town plans fence, sand-and-salt and infrastructure work
Summary
Highway staff briefed the council on a proposed FY 2025–26 budget that includes increases for sand and salt, pavement markings, grounds maintenance and small capital items (garage doors, surveillance), and a plan to stagger asphalt recycling over two years to manage costs.
MERRIMACK, N.H. — The town’s highway division reviewed its FY 2025–26 proposed budget Jan. 15, asking the Town Council to approve modest increases for materials and maintenance tied to street and park upkeep, storm response and several small capital replacements.
Laurie, the highway division presenter, told the council the division maintains more than 185 centerline miles of local roadways, sidewalks, 14 bridges, five parks and multiple athletic fields and municipal grounds. The proposed budget is $6,338,089 — a net increase driven by higher unit costs for materials and several planned replacements.
Why it matters: the highway budget covers essential daily operations that affect public safety and town services — snow and ice removal, pavement markings and shoulder repairs — and the presentation described specific line-item changes commissioners will evaluate during the budget hearings.
Highlights from the presentation - Sand and salt: The town adjusted its sand-and-salt estimate to reflect current state-bid pricing and added the cost of refilling magnesium-chloride tanks used for brine application. - Pavement markings: The unit price per linear foot has increased, prompting a $16,000 adjustment in the pavement marking line. Staff said markings are fading more quickly and will require more frequent repainting. - Asphalt pile recycling: Staff proposed recycling half the accumulated asphalt-recycling pile this fiscal year and the remainder next year to smooth costs after not performing this work since 2020. - Grounds and fields: The budget includes repairs and replacement fencing at Bishop Field and maintenance at Martell concession stand and Reeds Field; staff said those projects are aged and due for attention. - Building and garage maintenance: The highway garage has several older overhead doors that were excluded from the facility bond; staff plan to replace one door each year until the set is complete. The budget also includes funds for a generator at the highway garage drawn from surplus if needed. - Communications and IT: A line was added to run fiber to the highway garage to provide a backup server location and to support an interim communications point during the police radio tower upgrade. - Equipment and safety: The budget includes funds for brine spray system expansion, a grapple attachment for the excavator and a surveillance system for selected facilities.
Questions from councilors Councilors asked whether the town has done energy audits and whether light fixtures had been converted to LED. Staff said the town surveyed municipal buildings, uses a contracted electric rate below Eversource’s pump price, and completed an LED street-lighting conversion several years ago that reduced costs.
Snow removal and contract considerations The presentation included a $52,000 estimate for contracted snow plowing of select municipal lots. Staff and councilors discussed a possible cost-benefit analysis to determine whether bringing some plowing in-house — using a proposed new one-ton truck budgeted elsewhere in the capital program — would be financially advantageous over several years.
Ending Staff said they would provide the council with bid and contract details and follow up on questions about the proposed schedule for garage door replacements and the fiber extension. No formal vote was taken at the Jan. 15 presentation; the line items will be settled during the council’s formal budget process.
