Budget woes have overtime out of the question
CHEBOYGAN CO., MI -- Cheboygan County is saying expect delays and less snow plows on the roads this winter.
If a millage passes next week, that might not be the case.
“I just can't imagine what it's going to look like if we don't find a solution to funding," said Luke Houlton, Cheboygan Co. Road Commission Manager/Engineer.
The transformation for the winter season has begun in Cheboygan County. Trucks are gearing up to clear the roads. The only problem? In order to clean up the winter mess, Mother Nature needs to be on their side.
"Hopefully, the storm will come during business hours, and when we've got guys on street time, we're just trying to avoid that extra expense of overtime," said Houlton.
Luke Houlton says when it snows at night or on the weekends, it could be beneficial to have four-wheel drive. This is all because money for winter maintenance is just not there. He says the rough draft budget shows a $600,000 budget shortfall with no more room to cut. And with a third of the total budget going toward winter road clean-up, expect roads to stay snowy until normal business hours. He's hoping a one mill increase on the November ballot passes for not just winter maintenance, but for the road's sake.
"Certainly close that gap in our budget, and allow us to do some things we know we need to do to preserve our system before they absolutely fall apart and turn them back to gravel," said Houlton.
Houlton says the road millage could do wonders if it's passed on the November ballot. Here in Emmet County, townships have already stepped up to the plate. Money has been set aside to work on local roads, therefore, freeing money for the road commission to do other projects, like winter maintenance.
"If we didn't have that one mill, I could see us being in the same boat as Cheboygan County," said Brian Gutowski, Emmet County Road Commission Manager/Engineer.
In Emmet County, townships have a mill coming in which goes toward local road improvements.
"That frees up maintenance money for us, so that frees some money for us to make sure the winter services are pretty good," said Gutowski.
Houlton says he hopes people in Cheboygan take notice, because the roads will continue falling apart until the money is there to work with.
The millage on the November ballot proposes an increase of one mill to Cheboygan County homeowners.
On a $100,000 house, it'd be about $50 more a year in taxes.
Overall, it'd bring in more than a million to the Cheboygan County Road Commission.
