By Becky Killian, Staff Writer

The winter storm earlier this month cost the county an extra $110,000 in fuel, payroll, and the salt blend used to treat the roads.

Highway Superintendent Rick Voyles reported on the storm’s cost during the Tuesday, Jan. 21, meeting of the Washington County Board of Commissioners.

Voyles said the roads are treated with a combination of salt, sand, and stone. He recently increased the amount of salt used in the road treatment “recipe.”

He also presented commissioners with a contract for Fleck Engineering, of Ferdinand. The firm works on an on-call basis with the county and assists with the annual Community Crossings Matching Grant process. The contract for 2025 is for $20,000 – the same amount as was approved in 2023 and 2024.

In other business, the county will see a 6.5 percent increase in its commercial insurance. Zach Richards, an agent with Knapp Miller Brown Insurance, said the total premium for property damage and liability will increase from $385,434 to $410,369.

The county was forced to obtain a self-insured retention policy in 2024 after its former carrier opted not to renew the policy due to losses.