Highway superintendent briefs commission on detour, paving plans and requests clearer budgeting process

Dirk Rogers, Brown County highway superintendent, told the commission the county is poised to finish the second lift on the Richmond detour and expects to broom and then fog‑seal and stripe the detour surface in the near term. He said paving is planned later this year for Road 27 (from the James River Bridge to U.S. 281) and that the county will mill and patch interim damage until overlay crews arrive.

Rogers reported some equipment issues with the department’s milling equipment and noted the Sand Lake bridge removal is complete and piles were being driven on the south side. He warned that some roadwork will be compressed into short contractor windows once state or outside contractors begin the primary work.

On budgeting, Rogers said he cannot produce a fully reliable highway budget without clearer information on workforce counts, possible retirements and the division between county forces and contracted work. He estimated several potential retirements could affect planning and suggested the county hold a budgeting seminar for department heads to explain funding sources, the county’s bottom‑line approval role, and how to allocate personnel and contract costs.

Commissioners acknowledged the recommendation and asked staff to follow up; no budget decisions were made at the meeting.