Owen County commissioners call executive session after three highway operators resign; pay and staffing under review

The Owen County Board of Commissioners said they will hold an executive session after three county highway operators resigned in a single day, leaving the highway department critically short-staffed and jeopardizing routine maintenance and planned paving work.

A county speaker said crews lost three operators who were offered higher pay elsewhere, citing reported outside offers near $36 per hour. Commissioners and highway staff described the immediate operational impact: fewer crews available for pothole patching, inability to run a full pothole crew and a reduced capacity to support CCMG paving projects. A highway representative reported that a bridge project is nearly complete and that Anderson Road operations were delayed by weather, but repeatedly stressed that sustained staffing shortages make routine maintenance "almost impossible."

Commissioners agreed the shortfalls require prompt action. They discussed adjusting wages and benefits (including examining insurance coverage for operators) and directed staff to prepare a pay-and-staffing plan. The board scheduled an executive-session meeting in late April to review job descriptions, calculate pay adjustments and firm up recruitment steps; the board intends to present recommendations to the county council for final approval. The chair said the county has funding available but needs clearer job descriptions and a cost analysis before making permanent pay changes.

Highway staff also said they would immediately post vacant operator positions and continue recruiting, while commissioners asked for a cost estimate showing the financial effect of increasing operator pay and potentially adding back positions to reach a minimum recommended crew size.

The board did not record a final wage decision at the meeting. Commissioners said any pay adjustments and job-description changes will be presented to the county council for approval.