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Council reaches consensus on hybrid approach for roads: chip seal Plat 20, road base elsewhere
Summary
After debate, Star Valley Ranch council agreed to prioritize a hybrid roads program in the FY2026–27 budget: chip seal Plat 20 (including Cheyenne Circle) this year and apply road base to top-priority roads as far as the $500,000 budget allows when fuel and trucking costs are included; council also approved early purchase of a tilt trailer (~$25,000) funded from Vista Drive excess funds.
Council members spent significant time on May 26 weighing trade-offs between chip sealing and road-base rehabilitation as part of the FY2026–27 appropriations process. The Roads Advisory Board — backed by two engineers who performed a visual inspection with Public Works Director Zack Edwards — recommended prioritizing road-base installation for maximum near-term benefit across multiple streets rather than using limited funds exclusively for chip seal.
After extended discussion about resident expectations and the condition of key local streets, the council reached consensus on a hybrid approach: proceed with chip seal on Plat 20 (including Cheyenne Circle) this budget year and apply road base to the Roads Advisory Board's top-priority list as far down the list as the $500,000 budget will allow once fuel and trucking are considered. Councilman Bitter agreed to prepare and distribute a revised cost estimate before the ordinance’s third reading.
Separately the council authorized the Mayor to approve purchasing a tilt trailer currently available in Pocatello, Idaho, for approximately $25,000 using excess funds from the Vista Drive project so the trailer can be used during the upcoming road season; the corresponding capital item will be removed from next year’s budget.
Public Works Director Edwards and Town Engineer Ryan Welling flagged that Green Canyon Road requires substantial rehabilitation — possibly widening and shallow-utility assessment — before it can be paved or chip sealed, and that Plat 20’s existing chip seal is deteriorating enough that waiting may trigger full removal and reconstruction. The council directed staff to return with updated cost estimates that incorporate current fuel and trucking costs and prioritize those that deliver the most near-term benefit to residents.
The timing of chip seal work is also affected by operational issues reported elsewhere in the meeting, including weather constraints and equipment problems that have delayed chip-seal contractor availability.
