Public Works outlines chip‑seal plan, says current county allocation leaves shortfall

Public Works presented a prioritized list of chip‑seal and surface‑seal projects and asked the board to direct how to apply a recent $1 million allocation. Department director Tom Bowling told commissioners the county maintains a rolling program of chip seal and surface seals; many local roads have recurring pothole issues because the underlying surfaces are chip‑seal.

Staff recommended using board funds first to catch up on RTC‑listed surface seals that are already behind schedule (two fiscal years’ worth, roughly $842,000 in surface‑seal work), then apply remaining funds to chip‑seal work across Pahrump, Tonopah, Beatty and Gabbs. Public Works said the full current list totals about $1.6 million; with the current budget for next year at about $1.2 million, the county still faces a roughly $300,000 to $500,000 shortfall depending on 2026 priorities.

Commissioners asked about capacity and whether additional funds can be spent without hiring permanent staff. Staff said annual equipment, labor and material limits mean the department can absorb increased project dollars in the short term but warned repeated large one‑time inflows would require additional staffing to sustain year‑over‑year increases.

Decision and next steps: The board confirmed it wants staff to use the $1 million to progress RTC and CIP‑listed priorities (surface seals first) and directed Public Works to return with a detailed allocation schedule and timelines for the projects the money will support.