WASHINGTON CO. ENGINEER SAYS SHIFT TO IN-HOUSE PAVING ‘EXTREMELY SUCCESSFUL’

  

Washington County officials say the county’s move to in-house road paving is bearing positive results.

During his quarterly report at Tuesday’s Washington County Commissioners meeting, County Engineer Wesley Stolz announced that the county has paid off its investment into equipment that it purchased as part of its transition from contracting out paving services to performing them internally.  He said the county has saved $1.24 million in costs that would have gone to contracted paving, and that the county should continue to expect to see savings.

According to Stolz, citing data up until mid-December when he completed the report, the Engineering and Development Services Department paved 30 miles of roadway and procured approximately 68,000 tons of base material in 2025 for paved road construction and flexbase road maintenance.  The tonnage is up by roughly 6,000 tons from 2024, up 21,000 tons from 2023 and more than double what was obtained in 2022, but Stolz said the increase in materials is part of a greater emphasis on the structural integrity of roadways.

Stolz called the decision to move toward in-house paving “extremely successful” and credited his staff for showing dedication and commitment to improving and maintaining the county’s roads.

Commissioner Kirk Hanath said the department’s shift has been very positive, with County Judge John Durrenberger adding that he has noticed the enthusiasm demonstrated by employees.

Stolz also reported that another workshop is planned for early this year regarding updates to subdivision rules and regulations.  He said the first workshop in December had good discussion, but he wanted to ensure ample time for anyone who wanted to review the proposed changes and offer comments. 

Also at Tuesday’s meeting, commissioners agreed to appoint Carrie Marmol as the county’s chief of staff, per the selection committee’s recommendation.  Marmol has been serving as the executive administrative assistant in the county judge’s office.  The approved budget for the chief of staff position, adopted in the county’s budget approved in September, was $100,000.

In other business, the court:

• Approved a subdivision variance request for a land division fronting Dead End Lane, consisting of 10 acres in Precinct 4.
• Granted authorization to the county auditor to make any necessary budget amendments and line item transfers to close out the county’s 2025 fiscal year.
• Tabled action on transferring the payroll and benefits specialist position from the county treasurer’s office to the human resources department.