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County reviews secondary roads budget, equipment needs and proposed wage boosts
Summary
Carroll County supervisors heard a presentation on the secondary roads FY27 budget that outlined a $3.2 million tax ask, $4.6 million in expected road-use and farm-to-market receipts, major construction projects, a roughly $900,000 equipment package and proposed raises to narrow regional wage gaps.
Carroll County supervisors on Thursday reviewed the secondary roads departmentbudget for fiscal year 2027, including proposed staffing raises, equipment replacements and a slate of local road and bridge projects.
Zach, the presenter for the secondary roads budget, said the departmentis asking for "just over $3,200,000" in property-tax levy revenue, roughly $66,000 more than the prior year, and expects about $4,600,000 in combined road-use and farm-to-market receipts. He noted the budget also shows reimbursable bridge-replacement dollars the county must front when federal projects occur.
Why it matters: the budget determines whether the county can replace aging equipment, fund planned construction and keep pay competitive for operators whose wages lag surrounding counties. Zach told supervisors the plan includes a range of local projects and contingency for federal reimbursements.
Supervisors heard details on projects and costs. Zach estimated $225,000 to replace a failing box culvert between Lanesborough and Litterdale and detailed diamond-grinding and resurfacing projects on N14, M68 and N20 that will be let next year. He said certain larger projects will use federal STBG and farm-to-market funds, which the county will program separately so federal aid does not obligate local projects.
Equipment and personnel needs drew particular attention. Zach proposed buying two motor graders (machines approaching high-hour thresholds), replacing a belly-dump trailer and adding grader attachments (including a pavement-removal bucket and a tree-cutting boom). He summarized material budgets as $100,000 for crushed concrete, $400,000 for limestone and $800,000 for gravel and described an equipment package of just over $900,000.
On compensation, Zach presented comparative wage tables and said operator pay in neighboring counties is generally higher. He said his recommendation was a 2.8% cost-of-living adjustment plus an additional 3% targeted increase for secondary-road staff; for the maintenance superintendent he proposed an additional 5% (discussed as a combined increase on top of COLA). He told the board "I don't wanna see us keep falling behind further" and urged action to retain staff.
Zach said projected FY27 total expenditures for the secondary roads program are just over $12,300,000, which reflects large reimbursable bridge projects counted in the yearbut not paid locally when federal funds apply. He reported a carryover balance of just under $1,900,000.
Next steps: supervisors asked follow-up questions, requested further detail on timing of lettings and asked staff to fold the requests into broader FY27 levy scenarios during upcoming budget work sessions.
