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Granite County confirms new road hire, schedules staff meeting amid budget worries
Summary
Granite County commissioners confirmed the hire of John Bullock for Road & Bridge and scheduled a mandatory crew meeting May 26 to review staffing and a strained road budget. Public commenters urged internal promotion, transparency about fund uses and an audit of road funding dating to 2017.
Granite County commissioners on May 12 confirmed the hiring of John Bullock and agreed to pay him for time while he completes CDL training, saying the county needs immediate operational capacity while broader budget decisions are pending.
The action, moved by Commissioner McLure and seconded by Commissioner Kulaski, followed a weekly Road & Bridge update that described grading work on Upper Willow Creek Road and smaller local roads. Commissioners scheduled a mandatory meeting with the road crew for May 26 to review staffing needs and the department’s financial outlook.
Public commenters urged the county to consider internal candidates for the vacant Road & Bridge supervisor post, argue for clearer leadership and request greater transparency on how funds have been used. Mayor Gail Leeper recommended an external inventory and a fund-specific audit; she cited information that about $2.66 million in Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) funds had gone to the road department since 2017 in addition to its regular budget.
Elena Gagliano told the board the commission should prioritize promoting from within and questioned prior statements that the county could not afford a supervisor, noting the county still pays the position’s salary regardless of vacancy. She said written reports and clearer notice would help residents follow budgeting decisions.
Commissioners expressed differing views: some favored advertising early to prepare for future hires, while others warned that creating a new ongoing salary without a clear funding source could make the budget unsustainable. County Attorney Blaine Bradshaw advised assessing the county’s financial position before committing to a supervisor hire and noted the board could later revise hiring decisions if circumstances change.
The board approved a confirmation motion for Bullock, including compensation during CDL training. The county will review the road budget at the May 26 crew meeting and consider options — from internal promotion to external recruitment — depending on staffing needs and fiscal capacity.
