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Ramsey County Commission approves road maintenance contracts, equipment purchases and a project budget increase
Summary
At a regular meeting, the Ramsey County Commission approved a series of payments and contracts for road work, authorized material and equipment purchases and approved an increased budget for a soft-spot repair project after staff explained supply and specification changes.
Ramsey County commissioners approved multiple road maintenance contracts, purchases and a budget change during a regularly scheduled meeting.
The actions included approval of payments to contractors for chip seal and related work, acceptance of quotes for asphalt and paving patches, purchase of yard gravel and a new 600-gallon crack-seal (road oil) machine, and a decision to increase the budget for a soft-spot repair project after material-specification changes.
Why it matters: The approvals fund immediate maintenance and capital equipment for county roads and use previously consolidated funds the county set aside for road repairs. One larger project’s scope and cost changed because a key geotextile (fabric) is now only sold in 15-foot rolls, forcing staff either to change the repair width or waste material.
Most important votes and amounts: Commissioners approved paying Morris Sealcoat $436,782.78 for 2025 chip-seal work on Ramsey County Road 1, Walleye Drive, Military Road, Terminal Road and Ramsey County 8; payment to Johnson Excavating of $11,000 for a completed culvert replacement; acceptance of a Tri State Paving quote of $19,040 for a 6-inch asphalt floor in the county’s salt shed (budgeted for 2025); acceptance of patching work quotes totaling $49,823; purchase of 1,300 yards of gravel from Close Construction at $15 per yard ($19,500); and purchase of a 600-gallon road oil (crack-seal) machine through Sourcewell, recorded in the packet at $58,345 and later moved in the meeting as $58,003.45. Commissioners also approved payment to a painting contractor for chip-seal markings; the figure appears in the meeting as $32,217.78 and is later recorded in the motion as $32,287.78 (see clarifying details below).
Budget and project changes: Staff reported that the quote for a set of soft-spot repairs on Ramsey County 4 increased because the geotextile fabric is now supplied only in 15-foot rolls. Options discussed included cutting the rolls (wasting material), widening repairs to match the roll size, or accepting additional costs. Commissioners approved changing the project to use the wider fabric and updated quantities, bringing the contract total to $238,334.50; staff said the county has funds available from previously consolidated highway/FEMA-related balances.
Staffing and other administrative items: Road department staff reported continued cross-training of employees, one new hire attended blade training at Camp Grafton, and staff will pursue a surplus sale later (no sale date set). The commissioners also authorized the chairman and auditor to sign construction engineering contracts from KLJ for four CRP projects from 2022 as the state transmits them.
What commissioners said: Commissioners voted by voice on many routine items; for some larger payments the meeting used roll-call votes. Commissioners and staff repeatedly emphasized doing the work “while we have the money” and avoiding wasting purchased material.
Ending note: Most road-related approvals were presented as either budgeted items for 2025 or funded from consolidated highway balances; staff indicated follow-up on soft-spot schedules and materials would be on the next agenda.
