Commission hears paving priorities and plans for pothole response and equipment upgrades

Unidentified Speaker 4 and Unidentified Speaker 1 described expected pavement deterioration after recent freezes and rain, saying some sections will need full paving rather than simple patch work. Unidentified Speaker 4 warned, "We're gonna be looking at a lot of potholes in the next few weeks," and said staff will prioritize roads and present a paving list at the next meeting.

"We got a pretty pretty long list. There's no way we can get them all done," Unidentified Speaker 4 said, noting limited funds and that the county must pick priority segments. He added that some roads may require a different pavement mix if traffic volumes exceed state thresholds.

On equipment, Unidentified Speaker 4 outlined plans to test a rented hot box to keep bulk patch mix workable in cold weather; if the rental proves useful the county will consider buying one. "We'll try to rent 1. If we can't, we're gonna try to buy 1 just to see how it works," he said, explaining a hot box would let crews shovel and pour patch mix more quickly in cold temperatures.

Unidentified Speaker 1 reported shoulder-work scheduling and said the county has the shoulder machine set up and ready to use on roads scheduled for paving. Commissioners did not take a vote; staff will return with a prioritized list and cost estimates at a future meeting.