Roosevelt County road staff seek higher maintenance and fuel budgets amid rising costs

Roads staff told the Roosevelt County commissioners they want to raise several line items in the roads budget and restore previously cut fuel funding because maintenance and repair costs have risen.

"We had went down last year or some, but I'd like to go back up from $2.47 to $2.65," said the roads presenter (S2), noting they had cut roughly $40,000 from the fuel line last year and would like to reinstate it now that fuel prices are high. The presenter said equipment repair costs and more frequent shop work have driven up maintenance needs.

County staff clarified a set of operational and capital requests: continuing a $5,000 tool-and-supplies line, maintaining $12,000 for building repairs, $3,000 a year for a repeater tower, and $10,000 for sign materials. On capital needs, S2 said the department is considering two pickups, a dump trailer and — if a chip-box fund agreement with the state allows it — a broom (street sweeper/broom attachment). "If we can, then we'll buy a broom, but I'd rather have a broom than a dump trailer," S2 said.

S2 also requested raising the county's roads emergency maintenance line from $75,000 to $100,000 to cover spot loading and unexpected repairs. He described smaller equipment needs including a $4,000 jackhammer with a post-driving setup to speed sign installation and reduce manual labor.

Commissioners and staff asked for clarification on remaining capital balances, flatbed compatibility with older pickup frames and timeline for state agreements that would free up chip-box funds. No formal vote was recorded during the presentation; staff said they would enter the requests into the draft budget and follow up with detailed line-item figures.

The board recessed later in the meeting to proceed with other items and planned to reconvene to continue budget work.