Bosque County Commissioners begin budget season with debate over rising costs of infrastructure equipment & immediate road maintenance needs
As Bosque County officials begin planning next year’s budget, the commissioners found themselves balancing two competing priorities during their meetings on June 2 and 8: addressing immediate road maintenance needs while preparing for the rising costs of future equipment and county operations.
The discussion came as the Bosque County Commissioners Court voted to restore a portion of previously reduced road and bridge funding to county precincts and then launched the first rounds of the fiscal year 2027 budget workshops with elected officials and department heads.
Bosque County auditor Darcie Ragsdale explained that at the beginning of the current fiscal year, commissioners reduced road and bridge allocations by $75,000 per precinct after discovering the Road and Bridge Common Fund lacked sufficient resources to support the adopted budget.
“At the very beginning of the budget year, we figured out that the Road and Bridge Common Fund did not have the funds to support the budget that it had,” Ragsdale told the court.
With the county’s financial position now clearer, Ragsdale recommended restoring $25,000 to each precinct’s budget.
“At this time we could transfer back $25,000 because Precincts 1 and 3 ended up at zero for this year,” Ragsdale said.
The discussion prompted a broader conversation about the challenges of maintaining hundreds of miles of county roads in the face of flood damage, rising material costs and aging equipment.
Precinct 1 commissioner Billy Hall said his precinct has reckoned with significant road damage over the past year, noting that flooding and severe weather events had forced his precinct to spend heavily on repairs.
“I really do need this [additional funding] because of the fact that I sustained some heavy damage, and I’m having to use my road materials money to buy cold mix patch,” Hall said. “Last year, and the floods, and the Fourth of July, I had to repair an awful lot of roads with my road materials, so that’s why I’m just about out of money in road materials.’
During the June 2 meeting, Bosque County judge Cindy Vanlandingham emphasized that all four precincts experienced weather-related impacts and that all commissioners had their budgets reduced equally when the county adjusted road and bridge funding earlier in the year.
While Hall advocated for restoring funding to address current road conditions, Precinct 4 commissioner Ronny Liardon urged caution about depleting reserves needed for future equipment purchases.
“If we keep it shaved too close to the bone, then when the shoe falls, and we’ve got to replace the chip-spreader truck, I don’t know where we’re going to find it,” Liardon said.
Looking ahead, Liardon warned that major road equipment replacement costs continue to rise.
“I think we need to be putting $100,000 a year away at least, because I have a really bad feeling that the next time we replace equipment, it’s going to be a million dollars,” Liardon said.
Ragsdale suggested the county could explore setting aside dedicated equipment replacement funds in future budgets.
“We can look at a way to separate some of those funds moving forward – to set it aside so that that money’s not touched,” Ragsdale said.
By a 4-0 vote, the commissioners ultimately approved the transfer restoring the additional road and bridge funds after waiting a week to allow Precinct 3 commissioner Larry Philipp to consider the agenda item and vote June 8.
During the June 2 meeting, the court also discussed the possibility of acquiring used pothole-patching equipment and associated storage tanks but postponed any decision until additional information can be gathered.
During the June 8 meeting, the court declared a LeeBoy patching trailer surplus and authorized its sale through an auction service. Hall said the trailer had been sitting unused in his precinct barn after another county declined an opportunity to purchase it. Proceeds from the sale will return to county road and bridge accounts.
The court further discussed leasing versus owning paving equipment, and decided to take up the issue during the budget talks.
The road and bridge discussion served as an early preview of the larger budget conversations now beginning across Bosque County and other local taxing entities as officials prepare fiscal year 2027 budgets.
Following the two regular meetings, commissioners convened the first in a series of budget workshops with elected officials and department heads. Participants were reminded the meetings are intended to gather information and requests rather than make spending decisions. Those decisions will be made after scheduled public hearings.
Several officials used the workshop to highlight growing workloads and operational needs.
Justice of the Peace precinct 2 Michele Valdez requested additional part-time staffing assistance, citing an increase in court activity.
“We’re going to have to start utilizing her more, because we are getting swamped with debt claims,” Valdez said.
Bosque County treasurer Pam Browning requested funding to convert the deputy treasurer position to full-time status.
Bosque County clerk Tab Ferguson reported that the county’s new records management system recently went live.
“We have gone live this week, yesterday, with EJ. That’s going well,” Ferguson said.
Meanwhile, Precinct 1 constable Jay Sparkman reported no major changes to his budget request and took the opportunity to address public rumors regarding the county’s radio system.
Sparkman said social media posts had incorrectly suggested county law enforcement agencies had already received new radio equipment.
“I still got the same old Kenwood, and I took it out of the old truck and put it in this one,” he said.
Sparkman added that no countywide radio upgrades have yet occurred.
Precinct 2 constable Scott Ferguson reported only minor changes to his budget request, including reduced office supply expenses and a $500 increase for 911 addressing sign materials due to higher costs for more durable aluminum sign blanks.
Ferguson also thanked the court for recent employee compensation improvements, saying the county’s efforts to retain experienced workers have been beneficial.
Senior Services director Susan Baker discussed projected meal program cost increases and noted that a regional agency is forecasting approximately a 3.8-percent increase in food costs. Baker also informed commissioners about a potential new grant program focused on senior engagement and socialization that could eventually require additional part-time staffing.
Emergency management coordinator Alicia Wilson reported minimal changes to her budget request. Savings from discontinued software services were shifted into conference and training expenses, largely because travel costs have increased.
The budget workshops will continue throughout the summer as county officials refine spending priorities and develop a proposed budget before formal public hearings later this summer.
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