Road and Bridge superintendent warns of vendor price increases; commissioners approve personnel changes

Road and Bridge Superintendent Powell told the Harrison County Commissioners Court the county is in its maintenance season — patching, overlays, tree removal and vegetation management — and that contractors have completed their current mowing cycle.

Powell said Longview Asphalt notified the county of an 11% price increase over a two‑year period for oil and Hotmix (about 5.5% per year) but that the county’s current pricing is locked in for two years. "11% increase over 2 years. So it's a 5.5 percent increase each year," Powell said, and added that the change aligns with broader material and supply‑chain trends the county is seeing in roadwork and drainage projects.

Powell also said staff will meet with Bowman, the local surveyor firm that maintains the county’s map book, to discuss beginning GIS work to better manage roads and drainage assets. He emphasized crews operate with a smaller workforce in the off season because employees draw comp time earned during summer construction.

Commissioners asked whether special‑project charges were being applied to the correct precincts; county staff explained that work areas used for crew assignments do not always align with precinct boundaries and that special projects might be charged to the geographic work area rather than the precinct's patching budget.

Powell reported two new hires — Garen Jernigan and Prince Dunne — and noted nine openings remain in the Road and Bridge workforce. The court approved the personnel changes by unanimous vote.

The county’s next steps include continuing vendor monitoring, pursuing GIS discussions with Bowman, and moving forward with recruitment to fill open positions.