Board weighs adding $300,000 recurring line for roads; public works says several paving projects are underway

Supervisors on April 28 discussed bolstering recurring county support for road maintenance after public works staff outlined a budget driven largely by grants and one‑time projects. Several supervisors urged setting a recurring general‑fund contribution — a figure discussed informally at $300,000 — so paving does not depend solely on intermittent carryover and grants.

A supervisor argued a small recurring allocation would allow the county to plan and contract more consistent maintenance: “I’d like to look at maybe putting in the budget x amount of money maybe recurring every year … $300,000 would get some done,” the supervisor said during the public works discussion.

Public Works staff told the board the current program already includes both contracted work and in‑house paving; staff estimated roughly five miles may be contracted this year and crews were paving a short section during the meeting. When resident Joanne McClaclin raised road‑safety concerns for Shake Ridge Road — citing high speeds and missing striping — Public Works said Shake Ridge was already out to bid and the scheduled project will occur this year. The director also said the county approved a 70‑mile striping package and new striping machines are available to improve safety.

By consensus supervisors asked staff to include an option to add recurring road rehab funding in the recommended 2026–27 budget for further discussion during the May 5 budget workshop.

What’s next: Staff will run budget scenarios that add a recurring road rehab line to the recommended budget and present details at the May 5 workshop and subsequent hearings.