Town board authorizes $430,000 highway spending, adopts updated highway contract and job descriptions

The Town of Hector Board voted to authorize a state 284 agreement that gives the highway superintendent authority to spend budgeted 2025 local funds for routine highway maintenance and contractual services. The board read the agreement, which the supervisor said covered $430,000 in local highway budget monies for general repairs, dust oil, and road sealing, and members signed the required forms.

"This gives the highway superintendent authorization to spend money currently in his budget," a board member said. The motion to approve the 284 agreement carried without opposition.

The board also reviewed and adopted an updated highway contract that primarily corrected typographical and formatting errors; members explicitly said there were no substantive changes to pay rates or benefits, aside from correcting an earlier misprint of an hourly rate. During discussion, members debated a provision that had required town board approval to grant vacation or personal leave when it would reduce the highway crew to fewer than six employees. The board agreed to remove the requirement for full board approval, leaving approval to the highway superintendent and the town supervisor.

Separately, the board accepted two highway job descriptions — laborer and safety coordinator — that had been submitted following 2025 contract negotiations, and authorized a retroactive 50¢/hour pay increase for these positions effective Jan. 1. Board members clarified payroll will calculate retroactive pay based on hours worked since Jan. 1; the motion carried.

No roll‑call tallies were recorded in the transcript; motions were announced as "all in favor" and "motion carries." The board also discussed equipment and an incident in which a town truck left the road; the driver was uninjured and the vehicle returned to limited service after inspection.