Highway

Taylor County Highway Committee, Regular Meeting July 21, 2026 Taylor County Highway Department Call Meeting to Order: Darrell Thompson called the meeting to order at 9:00 a.m. Members Present: Gebauer, Lemke, Thompson Members Absent: Adams, Hansen Other Attendees: County Board Chairman Jim Metz, Highway Commissioner Ben Stanfley, Accountant Ashley Harder Motion by Gebauer/Lemke and carried to approve the minutes of the June 16, 2026 meeting. Motion by Lemke/Gebauer and carried to approve the agenda with 7 items. Cash vouchers and journal vouchers were audited. Motion by Lemke/Gebauer and carried to approve cash vouchers totaling $2,161,850.66 and journal vouchers totaling $219,627.93. Commissioner Stanfley presented two bridge aid requests for culvert replacements, from the town of Little Black. The first request on Elm Ave (Intersection of Hemlock Dr & Elm Ave) in the amount of $17,400 ($8,700/County, $8,700/Town). The second request on Stetson Ave (0.4m S on Hemlock Dr) in the amount of $15,692 ($7,846/County, $7,846/Town. Motion by Gebauer/Lemke and carried to approve the replacement of the first and second bridge aid request. Commissioner Stanfley updated the committee on the following: • Highway Paving: The CTH D & CTH V p aving projects have been completed and were finished approximately 5% under budget. • Mowing Operations: Mowing activities continue on both state and county roadways. • Culverts and Road Maintenance: Crews will begin culvert installations over the coming weeks. In addition, spray patching and crack filling operations are ongoing. • Upcoming Construction Projects: The CTH Q project is scheduled to begin on August 10. • Office Staffing: A casual office employee has resigned. The department is evaluating electronic timekeeping options to absorb the position’s responsibilities and maintain all job duties internally within the department. Next Committee Meeting: The next regular meeting of the Taylor County Highway Committee will be scheduled for August 25, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. at the Taylor County Highway Department. Adjournment: Motion by Lemke/Gebauer and carried to adjourn at 9:27 a.m. Respectfully submitted: Ashley Harder Accountant Taylor County Highway Committee, Regular Meeting June 16, 2026 Taylor County Highway Department Call Meeting to Order: Darrell Thompson called the meeting to order at 9:02 a.m. Members Present: Gebauer, Hansen, Lemke, Thompson Members Absent: Adams Other Attendees: Brian Wilson from the Star News, Highway Commissioner Ben Stanfley, Accountant Ashley Harder Motion by Hansen/Gebauer and carried to approve the minutes of the February 17, 2026 meeting. Motion by Lemke/Hansen and carried to approve the agenda with 8 items. Cash vouchers and journal vouchers were audited. Motion by Lemke/Gebauer and carried to approve cash vouchers totaling $1,884,263.19 and journal vouchers totaling $699,357.15. Commissioner Stanfley presented a bridge aid from the Town of Molitor for a culvert replacement on Sunnyside Road (.72 miles E of Water Dr). Motion by Gebauer/Hansen and carried to approve the replacement in the amount of $14,850 ($7,425/County, $7,425/Town). Commissioner Stanfley presented a bridge aid from the Town of Deer Creek for a culvert replacement on Pine Ave (20ft E of Fay Rd). Motion by Lemke/Hansen and carried to approve the replacement in the amount of $8,200 ($4,100/County, $4,100/Town). Commissioner Stanfley presented a bridge aid from the Town of Browning for a culvert replacement on Grahl Dr (.15 miles N CTH O). Motion by Gebauer/Hansen and carried to approve the replacement in the amount of $15,750 ($7,875/County, $7,875/Town). Commissioner Stanfley updated the committee on the following: • Winter Operations: Winter maintenance spending currently stands at $653,000, or 92% of the total winter budget, with projections indicating an overage of $321,000. • Carbide Blades: Costs for carbide blades have risen by 2 to 4 times. Switching to hard steel blades could reduce expenses, though they can be replaced approximately four times to equal the cost of carbide blades. • 4- 10s vs 5-8s: Operating on a 4-day, 10-hour schedule resulted in a savings of $15,000 for the department through the Winter Season. • Construction Updates: The CTH O bridge over the Little Black River has been redecked and reopened to traffic. Road Construction on CTH Q, from STH 64 to CTHO O, is scheduled to begin at the end of July. An additional $216,813 in funding was secured through change management for this project. • Highway Paving: Paving operations on CTH V and CTH D are underway. The base layer has been completed, and, weather permitting, the top layer is expected to be finished this week. Next Committee Meeting: The next regular meeting of the Taylor County Highway Committee will be scheduled for July 21, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. at the Taylor County Highway Department. Adjournment: Motion by Hansen/Gebauer and carried to adjourn at 9:21 a.m. Respectfully submitted: Ashley Harder Accountant Taylor County Highway Committee, Regular Meeting February 17, 2026 Taylor County Highway Department Call Meeting to Order: Jim Gebauer called the meeting to order at 9:01 a.m. Members Present: Adams, Gebauer, Hansen, Thompson Members Absent: Zenner Other Attendees: County Board Chairman Jim Metz, Highway Commissioner Ben Stanfley, Accountant Ashley Harder Motion by Adams/Hansen and carried to approve the minutes of the January 20, 2026 meeting. Motion by Hansen/Adam and carried to approve the agenda with 8 items. Cash vouchers and journal vouchers were audited. Motion by Adams/Hansen and carried to approve cash vouchers totaling $367,297.23 and journal vouchers totaling $321,140.24. A Resolution to Support State Investment for Sustainable Transportation funding was presented to the Committee, noting that the State is requesting each county to obtain committee approval so the collective support can move forward into legislation. Motion by Hansen/Thompson and carried to approve the Resolution to Support State Investment for Sustainable Transportation funding. Commissioner Stanfley presented his recommendations for accepting quotations received on various construction materials, including the low bid hot mix asphalt quotation from American Asphalt for CTH D (CHI -S, CHI -D) and CTH V (CHI). Motion by Adams/Hansen and carried to approve the hot mix asphalt low bid from American Asphalt for CTH D (CHI-S, CHI-D) and CTH V (CHI) and all other bids as recommended by the Highway Commissioner. See attached for the Quotation Tabulation. Commissioner Stanfley updated the committee on the following: • Winter Operations: Winter maintenance costs have reached approximately $400,00 0, putting us only $70,000 below the six-year average. • State Salt Supply: Due to low state inventory, the State has begun hauling in additional salt. The County’s salt supply, however, remains in good condition. • 2026 Federal Project Update: The request for additional funding to address the shortfall in the CTH Q project has been denied by Change Management. Efforts are underway to resubmit the project due to scope changes related to the 3R standards and truck traffic. • WCHA Legislative Day: Legislative Day is scheduled for March 17, 2026, in Madison, WI. All who are interested are welcome to attend. Next Committee Meeting: The next regular meeting of the Taylor County Highway Committee will be scheduled for March 17, 2026 at 9:00 a.m. at the Taylor County Highway Department. Adjournment: Motion by Hansen/Adams and carried to adjourn at 9:32 a.m. Respectfully submitted: Ashley Harder Accountant Taylor County Highway Committee, Regular Meeting January 20, 2026 Taylor County Highway Department Call Meeting to Order: Jim Gebauer called the meeting to order at 9:02 a.m. Members Present: Adams, Gebauer, Hansen, Thompson, and Zenner Members Absent: None Other Attendees: Highway Commissioner Ben Stanfley, Accountant Ashley Harder Motion by Adams/Hansen and carried to approve the minutes of the November 18, 2025 meeting. Motion by Thompson/Zenner and carried to approve the agenda with 9 items. Cash vouchers and journal vouchers were audited. Motion by Adams/Hansen and carried to approve cash vouchers totaling $856,450.52 and journal vouchers totaling $505,752.55. A resolution honoring retiree Tracy Heier was presented to the committee. Motion by Thompson/Hansen and carried to approve the resolution as presented. Commissioner Stanfley updated the committee on the following: • Winter Operations: Our patrol staff worked 24 consecutive days, with this past Sunday marking their first weekend day off since Christmas. The County winter budget has exceeded $145,000 for the 2025 season. • 2025 County Budget: We finished the year under budget overall, largely to cost savings from our construction activities. • 2025 State Budget: The state budget totaled more than $173,000 over budget for the 2025 year. • 2026 Federal Project Update: The CTH Q project exceeded the original application budget by $271,016. We expect an update from change management this week. • 2026 County Budget Start: As of January, we are already $15,000 over budget, with two weeks remaining in the month. Motion by Zenner/Adams and carried to move into close session at 9:21 a.m. Roll call vote: Yes – Adams, Hansen, Gebauer, Thompson, Zenner. No – none. Motion by Hansen/Thompson and carried to move into open session at 9:39 a.m. Next Committee Meeting: The next regular meeting of the Taylor County Highway Committee will be scheduled for February 17, 2026, at 9:00 a.m. at the Taylor County Highway Department. Adjournment: Motion by Zenner/Hansen and carried to adjourn at 9:42 a.m. Respectfully submitted: Ashley Harder Accountant