The Daily News

For decades, Wilkin County township roads have been maintained by the county highway department. But as the extra hours have forced staff to spread themselves too thin, the arrangement may change as early as this winter.

At a special meeting Friday, Wilkin County commissioners discovered roughly $300,000 in state aid will be cut from the highway department over the next three years. The loss is one of several reasons why the department is trying to ease out of work on township roads, which consume 40 percent of winter maintenance.

Reductions in county equipment funds, resident complaints about snowplowing and the loss of three highway employees have also contributed to the need for change, and highway officials said they can't manage the workload any longer.

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Some township residents have suggested staff get a raise, but that's not the point, said Tom Richels, highway engineer.

"We're just not doing the job we're supposed to be doing," he said.

Highway staff said county roads should be taken care of first but township maintenance has delayed that from happening. Cleanup after the 2009 flood caused an extreme burden on the department, as standard county maintenance couldn't begin until nearly Aug. 1, said Richels. Repeated flooding and hours of disaster repair remain the dominating factors behind the push for township responsibility. In 2007-2008, the department logged 3,127 hours by snowplowing and blading township roads alone.

Richels suggested several plans to make the transition easier, such as connecting townships with contractors before the first snowfall. Several contractors have expressed availability and told Richels they would charge the same as the county.

"We're kind of overwhelmed with the contractors who want to do this work," he said, adding the department would also help out when needed.

During a time of countywide belt tightening, commissioners had to consider the savings. Nearly $178,000 in salary and benefits would be reserved by not replacing the employees and the county does not accrue additional revenue by handling the townships.

However, the board said its biggest concern is that the job gets done appropriately.

"What's the best for the county?" said Chairman Lyle Hovland. "We're trying to provide the best possible service at the cheapest cost."

Commissioner John Blaufuss said the group has been through the worst year in recorded history, yet still managed to handle the paperwork for the Federal Emergency Management Agency and the flood stuff with a reduced staff.

"It's just been an incredible year," he said. "From my perspective, and I think the board would agree with me, you guys have done a helluva job."

A tentative township meeting has been set for 9:30 a.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 28 at the Breckenridge Senior Center. Richels said he would call townships in the event of changes.

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