Contrary to what happens most years, Brown County Commissioners got an earful during their annual budget hearing.
Jerry Krueger, of rural Aberdeen, talked to commissioners during their Tuesday meeting about the shabby state of county roads. Usually, no one attends the budget hearing.
The condition of four miles of County Road 13 west of Richmond Lake State Park, a stretch he drives regularly, is especially irritating to Krueger. He said the highway department hasn't filled holes on the road or even graded it in more than a year.
"I disagree with you," said Jan Weismantel, county highway superintendent.
She said the road will be patched with gravel in the weeks to come. Most recently, she said, highway crews have been patching roads with hot mix and doing chip seal work. Now, they're starting to mow along county roads. When that work is finished, gravel patching will continue, she said.
Last month, Krueger, a columnist for the American News, wrote about the rough shape of county roads.
Tuesday's conversation ultimately shifted to the condition of county roads in general, and Krueger asked commissioners what their plans are to improve roads.
"To continue to do what we can with what we have. That's all we can do," said Duane Sutton, commission chairman.
"Well, that's a sad state of affairs," Krueger said.
"It certainly is," said Sutton, who doesn't disagree that plenty of roads need work. But he, like other commissioners, is discouraged by the lack of revenue the county has for repairs.
Weismantel said she could spend $30 million to improve the 500 miles of asphalt and 180 miles of gravel roads her department oversees. But her budget is about $8 million a year.
"Most counties don't have this problem because they don't have (as many miles as) we do," said Commissioner Tom Fischbach.
Not only does Brown County oversee more miles than other counties, Weismantel said, but the asphalt roads were not built to handle today's heavy truck and tractor traffic.
As things stand, Weismantel said, her department is just trying to make roads passable, not fully repair them.
Krueger suggested making cuts to other county departments so there would be more money to repair roads. But Sutton said any such cuts would be small and not result in significantly more money for the highway department.
A couple of options that would raise more revenue for roads were casually discussed, including adding a cent-per-bushel tax on crops sold and taxing dyed fuels. Weismantel said she wishes that South Dakota's wheel tax applied to all wheels on a vehicle. Instead, it is capped at $8 per vehicle - two bucks a wheel with a maximum of four wheels per vehicle. Because of that, the wheel tax paid by the driver of a car, which doesn't damage a road, is the same as that paid by a semi or large truck that might.
Commissioners have approved a provisional budget for 2013, though it could still be changed. Of the $24.66 million overall budget, $14.87 million is from the consolidated general fund. Of those totals, $8.68 million is for the highway department. The budget is set to be finalized Sept. 25.
In other road-related news, commissioners approved an agreement allowing them to use $2.45 million in federal transportation money to rebuild three miles of County Road 16 north of its intersection with County Road 23 in the Stratford area. If the work costs more, the county will have to pay the difference, Weismantel said.
The project was supposed to be done nine years ago, Weismantel said, but has often been delayed, most recently to allow it to dry out after being flooded. Eventually, plans call for the entire nine miles of 16 between 23 and U.S. Highway 12 to be rebuilt, but the county doesn't currently have enough money for the northern six miles. It's starting at the south of the stretch because that's the lowest-lying area, Sutton said.
Weismantel said the surface of County Road 10 will also likely be ground and mixed with asphalt to improve the road from north of Aberdeen to Westport. The combination of the ground asphalt and gravel should be a better surface than the current battered asphalt.
In other action Tuesday, the commission:
Met in closed session to discuss personnel matters.
Approved three right-of-way agreements allowing James Valley Telecommunications to do utility work along County Road 23 in Warner, along County Road 16C near Stratford and along County Road 10 near its intersection with 23.
Approved a lease agreement for the A-Town Roller Girlz to use the Holum Expo Building Sept. 22.
Approved a special malt beverage license for the A-Town Roller Girlz bout.
Approved previous meeting minutes, claims and routine personnel changes.
With the Aberdeen City Council, gave final approval to two rezonings. One, at 2329 County Road 19 north of Molded Fiber Glass, is from unrestricted industrial to mini ag. The other, at 302 County Road 13 and 12980 387th Ave., is from agricultural to mini ag.