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Highway department touts higher PACE rating, in‑house savings and maintenance limits
Summary
Jefferson County Highway Department reported progress on major paving and bridge projects, said the county PACE rating rose to 7.9 in 2025, and presented a side‑by‑side cost comparison showing in‑house mill/overlay work costing $130,111 per mile versus a DOT‑contracted project at $181,527 per mile. Supervisors questioned mowing and brush removal policy constraints tied to state rules.
Sean, speaking for the Jefferson County Highway Department, presented the department’s 2024–25 annual report and plans for 2026, highlighting completed projects, staffing and maintenance operations.
He listed recent work on County Highways K, Z, H and C and progress in 2025 on County Highway D (including the Bark River Bridge), and paving on segments of Highways P, J, W and V. Sean said the county’s PACE rating — a condition metric the department uses — rose to 7.9 in 2025, and he credited staff for sustaining operations during a supervisory reorganization and the retirement of the former highway commissioner.
To illustrate cost differences, Sean presented a side‑by‑side comparison of two mill‑and‑overlay projects: a county‑run project on County Highway C in 2024 that he said came in at $130,111 per mile and a comparable DOT‑contracted project in 2023 that he said cost $181,527 per mile. He said the county project represented roughly a 28% savings, driven largely by differences in engineering oversight and labor rates.
Supervisors pressed Sean on mowing and brush removal. He explained that county roads are mowed each fall but the state’s mowing policy for state roads is limited (one scheduled pass by July 1 and a three‑year rotation that allows brush buildup). Because state contract hourly rates would be the county’s primary revenue source for state road work, he said it is difficult to justify buying high‑cost specialized brush equipment that the county would rarely recover in rental or hourly reimbursements. Sean said the county rents specialized equipment when needed and will consider equipment replacements as tractors near end of life.
Sean also reported the highway workforce is fully staffed with 56 full‑time employees plus seasonal support and warned the board of near‑term winter storm costs; he estimated a two‑day November storm cleanup could cost about $225,000 to clear county and state highways.
Supervisor Gross and others praised the crew’s performance and probed options for more efficient mowing equipment and brush removal; Sean said equipment replacement is planned in future years as tractors age.
The presentation closed with Sean offering to answer further questions and thanking the board for support of the highway program.
