Road staffing shortfall forces commissioners to revisit mill‑levy math

Road department leadership told the Prairie County commission the draft mill levy and proposed wage increases do not cover the planned fifth crew position. Road staff said contributions were increased to cover five employees at roughly $65,000 each but that the budget as drafted omitted the additional wage for the fifth hire, creating a roughly $60,000 shortfall.

The road supervisor noted the math during a budget review: “So, basically, 60,000 to hire that 5th guy,” (S3) and commissioners asked staff to identify options for covering the gap, including shifting capital dollars or revising the levy request. County staff also cited a total levy increase figure read into the record of $147,009.26 as part of the levy package; commissioners said they would revisit the salary lines during the budget process and consider retroactive pay timing.

Members discussed the operational consequences: with fewer than five crew members available in recent years the county has not been able to perform routine mile‑long road projects that previously would have been done in short order. Commissioners requested updated budget worksheets and a payroll impact analysis before finalizing levy language to present at public hearings.