Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Transportation Roads topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Highway director lays out nearly $8 million road plan and warns staffing shortfalls threaten service
Summary
The county's highway presenter reviewed an almost $8 million program of overlays, preservation and conversions, and the highway director urged pay increases to retain CDL and skilled trades staff, arguing recruitment and safety hinge on competitive wages.
The Noble County Highway Department presented its annual road plan on July 6, outlining roughly $4,680,000 in local contracts (driven by two community crossing packages) plus about $3,200,000 for the Baseline to State Road 205 overlay, totaling just under $8 million in planned work for 2026.
The presenter walked the council through the department's prioritization method (pavement condition, traffic volume and preservation strategy) and emphasized a large preservation effort to raise network condition and reduce long-term costs. The Community Crossings program was highlighted: the county has received $471,994.19 to date as part of a larger distribution program and may receive additional direct distributions in future rounds.
Highway director Zach delivered a lengthy presentation tying the capital program to workforce concerns. He provided examples of 20-year wage trends for county positions and warned that the county struggles to recruit and retain CDL drivers and other skilled trades because wages and benefits are not competitive. "The Noble County Highway Department does not exist to serve the council. We exist to serve the public," Zach said, urging residents to make their voices heard and urging the council to consider competitive wages to maintain service reliability and public safety.
Councilors asked questions about funding, the timing of projects and the role of the Community Crossings distributions. Staff noted federal and local funding packages and that the county had already appropriated an additional $900,000 to the program; the highway presenter said the mix of overlays, double-chip sealing and preservation work reflects both condition and cost-efficiency priorities.
The presentation left the council with a capital plan to factor into the budget process and underscored the staff request that wage and staffing considerations be placed alongside capital planning when the council reviews budgets.
