Road superintendent reports balances, maintenance plans; commissioners discuss possible outsourcing

Road Superintendent Joe Gardner reported the Road & Bridge budget balance at $674,920.50 and the W Road balance at $38,598.41, and outlined recent and planned maintenance work at the Jackson County commissioners meeting on March 23.

Gardner said crews completed ditching on routes including 206 and X, 222 and 118 D–E, hauled dirt to F and 106, and hauled 29 loads to W Road where they are raising a portion of the road. He reported a sinkhole in a tube at 158 and S7 was replaced and another tube at P 254–262 will be replaced this week. He also said staff will soon begin chip-seal preparation and that an employee transferring from Environmental Services will start Monday to assist with mowing and running the road groomer. The department listed planned training: a monthly safety meeting on March 31 and KWORCC-led Powered Industrial Truck and Flagger certification for needed staff.

Commissioner Keith Kelly asked whether the department had used scarifier bits to remove grass from the road edge and whether roads were ready for dust-control; Gardner replied they had not used the scarifier yet but planned to try it that week and that roads would be ready for dust control, noting some residents already applied. Gardner also supplied a list of recent rock-haul locations for the board’s information.

The update prompted a separate budget discussion: Commissioner Kelly suggested the county examine subcontracting some Road & Bridge work to reduce costs given the department’s large share of the budget; Chairman Mark Pruett said he would want to see cost comparisons and raised concerns about local economic impact and work quality if contractors replace county crews. Kelly said he had asked staff (Scott and Joe) to begin compiling numbers for review.