Highway department outlines diesel, culvert and grader costs; corrects a revenue line error

Jason presented a detailed draft of the highway department's 2027 budget and called out a handful of high-cost pressure points: diesel fuel increased by $30,000, gasoline by $10,000, culvert inventory was raised from prior levels to $175,000, and he outlined scenarios for replacing up to three motor graders with a possible purchase plan involving balloon payments or buyback options.

He said the department's proposed top-line number (as stated in the transcript) was $4,987,554.30 and acknowledged a spreadsheet error that had initially placed flex-transportation revenue on the expenditure side; correcting that mistake reduced an apparent $375,000 pressure to zero. Jason also noted potential site and partner options for two new shops in Prairie and Starkweather and said surplus equipment sales typically offset some replacement costs.