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Commission approves KDOT noxious-weed spraying agreement with higher labor rates and periodic adjustments
Summary
The commission approved a 2026 KDOT county agreement for noxious-weed control, including a recommended raise in labor/truck sprayer rates to $45/hour and a UTV sprayer rate to $30/hour; commissioners added a 3% annual adjustment for three years before renegotiation.
Gary Haas, the countys weed-control supervisor, presented the 2026 KDOT agreement to treat noxious weeds on state right-of-way, guardrails and related roadside areas. Haas recommended raising labor and sprayer rates to reflect current wages, benefits, fuel and equipment costs and said the county has averaged about $9,030 in revenue from KDOT spraying over the previous three years.
Haas told commissioners: "I recommend that we raise our labor rates to $45 an hour, the truck sprayer rates at $45 an hour, and our UTV sprayer rate to $30 per hour." Commissioners discussed the contract structure and agreed to add a 3% annual adjustment for three years; a motion to approve the KDOT agreement with that adjustment was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote. Haas said the county intends to start guardrail spraying in March and will balance KDOT work with county and city obligations.
The approved contract will require the county to install and bill for work as it is performed rather than as a flat-fee arrangement; commissioners noted staffing shortages could constrain how much additional KDOT work the county accepts.
