Highway commissioner proposes $2/hour premiums and other pay changes to retain crew

The Highway Commissioner told the committee the department is "down, roughly 8 employees" and described daily staffing strains that can leave crews short when multiple staff take PTO. He proposed targeted premium pay as a retention tool: a $2/hour premium for an equipment ('auto') class, premiums for traffic control on high‑volume roads, a premium for state structure maintenance work (reimbursable when state‑funded), and a $2/hour crew leader premium in the repair shop.

Committee members questioned reimbursement and overtime eligibility for the premiums; the commissioner said state‑funded portions (such as structure maintenance and traffic control on state projects) would be 100% reimbursable by the state and explained how the $2/hour interacts with overtime calculations. The Chair and members welcomed the approach as a modest, strategic step to compete with private‑sector pay and retain experienced operators.