Harney County residents press road department over East Steens maintenance, staffing and training

Residents who travel East Steens Road told the Harney County Court on Monday that sections of the route have become dangerously soft and are starting to wash out, and they asked the county to expand maintenance and staffing to prevent a larger failure this spring.

The public comments and subsequent discussion focused on recurring soft spots, rising water, and the practical limits of one-person road crews. Paul Davis, a Harney County resident, said the remarks were not intended as a “witch hunt” but to press for a clearer partnership with county crews when emergencies arise. “I’m after here for a solution to the problem,” Davis said.

The county’s road representative, Eric (identified in the meeting as the county’s road department representative), described current staffing and operational constraints and the steps he has taken to increase responsiveness. Eric said the department has about 14 staff with roughly eight experienced blade operators and that he has tried in recent years to leave a grader stationed at the North End so crews can respond faster. “More manpower and more time under the belt,” he said, “that’s my answer,” when asked what would improve the East Steens condition.

Why it matters: East Steens is a heavily used rural thoroughfare that residents, school buses and ranch traffic use daily. Those who spoke said washouts and rapidly changing moisture conditions make safe passage uncertain, and they urged the county to adopt targeted, seasonal maintenance and clearer communication channels so county crews can act before a hazard becomes an emergency.

What residents raised: Speakers described spots where water is undermining the road base, cited school-bus incidents and flat tires on heavier vehicles, and pressed the county on response times after washouts. Several landowners said they have equipment and operators willing to help and argued mobilizing several graders for a focused push could restore long stretches more quickly than single-operator, dispersed work.

County response and limits: Eric said the department has used outside training from equipment manufacturers (Caterpillar) and runs a mix of hands-on mentoring for new blade operators. He acknowledged some newer operators need more time to build experience and said the department has no formal statewide certificates to issue locally. On equipment and liability, Eric said the county must be cautious: outside contractors or private mutual-aid providers would need their own liability insurance if the county were to authorize them to work on county roads.

Funding and capacity constraints were central. Eric said the road department recently covered a large portion of expected operating needs with a one-time $1 million draw from reserves; that reserve will not last if similar pressures continue. The department’s ability to mobilize multiple graders to one location is limited by the county’s geography and the need to cover other roads across a large area.

Training and operational ideas discussed: Meeting participants and staff identified several possible near-term changes: better advance notification from residents to road staff when conditions begin deteriorating; targeted use of rollers and water trucks when crews are in a moist window; pairing less-experienced operators with veterans; and exploring scheduled, concentrated “mobilization windows” when several pieces of equipment are brought together to process and rebuild selected segments before seasonal moisture returns.

Mutual aid offers and liability: Several residents offered equipment, fuel and operator time at no charge; county officials welcomed the willingness but repeatedly noted they need an agreed process — including insurance coverage and clear scope — before accepting outside crews. Eric said mutual-aid proposals have been discussed but are not a turnkey solution: “I’m not gonna do the job for you,” he said, adding the county must preserve its oversight and liability protections.

Next steps: Court members and staff agreed to continue conversations, pursue better advance-notice communication channels between residents and road staff, and explore tactical mobilizations timed to favorable weather and moisture conditions. The county also said it will continue applying for external grants and will examine whether budget priorities can be shifted in the next cycle to allow focused maintenance on high‑use gravel segments.

Less-critical details: Speakers and staff repeatedly emphasized speed and driver behavior as compounding factors — higher speeds on newly paved or well-graded gravel sections increase wear and safety risk. The department encouraged residents to call early and to treat emergency interventions and routine maintenance as distinct categories for county coordination.