Connot Unveils Proposed Road Budget To Keep Projects Intact, Maintain Infrastructure

by Luann Schindler,

Courtesy Summerland Messenger

Based on preliminary figures, presented to Holt County Supervisors during a July 31 meeting, the road budget will see approximately a $300,000 increase from the previous year's proposal.

Holt County Road Superintendent Gary Connot told supervisors the increase includes salary and equipment increases.

“We adjusted the capital outlay by about $100,000,” Connot said.

Chairman Bill Tielke asked if the budget stays within a 3% increase, a number tossed around by state officials, primarily Gov. Jim Pillen.

“It may be a whisker over,” Connot said.

According to Holt County Clerk Cathy Pavel, the proposed road budget increase is at 3.1%.

Connot indicated that capital outlay is approximately half of the budget.

“It's the structure investment, equipment replacement, gravel, asphalt, to support our maintenance projects,” he said.

Connot outlined upcoming equipment upgrades, including a new dump truck for District 1, a wheeled excavator, a potential motor grader for District 6, and a power broom.

“In talking to the foremen, we could utilize a skid loader trailer. We've talked about a semi truck and a lowboy,” the department manager added.

“These are budgeted in your request?” Tielke asked. Connot indicated they are.

Additional projects the department has under consideration are upgrades on the Page highway, potential microsurfacing projects, a culvert project south of Atkinson, and grade stabilization on a stream channel south of Stuart. Potential funding for the Stuart project could be available through the National Resources Conservation Service and Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. 

“The big question is what we need to do short term and long term, as far as our maintenance needs go,” Connot said.

Tielke asked if microsurfacing is included in the budget. Line tems in the capital outlay fund could go toward it. Construction asphalt funds could also be utilized.

“At the end of June, there was just under $5 million in that piggy bank. We've been collecting about $2 million a year, so the total resources are just under $7 million,” Connot said.

Through a federal funds buyback program, the department has received just under $400,000, with approximately $300,00 targeted for roads or bridges, and the remaining $100,000 earmarked for bridges only.

“We've been using this money for posted bridges - timber bridges - to replace them.” 

A truss bridge, the St. John's bridge south of Ewing, and the Knox County line project utilized buyback funding. Some of those road monies could be directed toward microsurfacing.

Connot said, “In March 2026, $465,000 will be available from this fund.” 

The road superintendent credited supervisors for being “aggressive the last decade” on road projects.

“A year ago, you gave the road fund a pretty good shot in the arm for capital outlay items. Because of your aggressiveness in the past, the infrastructure is in pretty good shape. We have good maintenance practices. Equipment replacement is in pretty good shape as well,” he said.

An interlocal agreement with Boyd County, sharing Connot's expertise, is also in place.

“They pay half my training, lodging, travel to meetings and they pay 100% of travel to Boyd County,” Connot said. 

Regarding the budget process, Tielke  said chatter from Lincoln puts the onus on counties.

  “They're looking real hard and given us a little bit of room if we exceed 3%, but pretty soon they're going to narrow it down and say this is what you get,” Tielke said. “They're going to start putting the clamps down on counties.”

With upcoming budget and tax request hearings on the horizon, residents will have an opportunity to see a breakdown of tax dollars in action.

“When people find out what counties spend as opposed to what they're paying ... anybody who comes in here and pays $50,000 in taxes, they think you guys are making decisions, but what they don't realize is that you're making decisions on about $10,000 of their $50,000, but they receive 100% of the most benefit from what we do,” Tielke said.

He praised Connot for staying close to the 3% threshold. 

“If Holt County can stay within the 3%, at least we'll be doing our part to stay within the budget. To go and try to cut a little bit to make it appear better to a taxpayer, in a few years, it's going to be regretted,” Tielke said.

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