Road and bridge budget highlights equipment buybacks, chip-seal planning and $1.9M local match

Road and Bridge staff walked commissioners through a detailed operating and capital budget that emphasizes materials procurement, equipment replacement and grant-dependent projects.

Presenter Brian said the department budgeted diesel at approximately $5 a gallon to plan for volatility and reported recent savings on tires through bulk purchasing and expanded in-house repairs. Staff reduced hot-mix paving plans from an expected 8,000 tons to 6,000 tons "to be a little more frugal" and described a two-year procurement strategy to obtain chip material at volume pricing.

On capital, staff outlined proposed equipment purchases including grader replacements that are largely offsetting due to buyback/trade-in revenue; the presentation noted approximately $1.3 million in expected offsets against roughly $1.6 million of listed grader costs. Brian told the board the county also faces a near-term payment of about $1.9 million as its required local match for the Southport federal project, described in the session as about a 15% match on a roughly $17 million project.

Staff also discussed federal funding sources: Title I and Title III rural-lands funds, potential CMAC-like grants for mag chloride and a Safe Routes/planning grant that will be used over multiple years. Commissioners pressed staff on contingencies if grant awards fall short and asked for clearer revenue offset presentation before public materials are released.

No final appropriation was made during the work session; staff was asked to reconcile equipment-trade revenue and to confirm grant award timing for the July work session.