With the recent hiring of two heavy equipment operators, Seward County Highway Superintendent Jon Regnier said his 2025-26 road plan will be tackling around a dozen culvert repairs and replacements.
“We are looking at more projects because we actually have a full construction crew,” Regnier said.
The Seward County Board of Commissioners recently authorized a hiring bonus plan for two heavy equipment operators on a 4-1 vote with Commissioners Scott Pekarek, Raegan Hain, Ken Schmieding and Misty Ahmic voting in favor, and Darrell Zabrocki opposing the move.
The plan provides a hiring bonus of $500 after 90 days, $1,000 after one year, and $2,500 after two years.
Regnier said last year, his team consisted of one full-time roads employee with the assistant superintendent filling in as much as possible.
The market for heavy equipment operators is competitive, with private industry paying $30 to $45 an hour, he said, which is higher than the county’s pay rate. He said the bonus and the county’s strong benefits helped him fill out his crew.
A public hearing on the 1- and 6-year road plan is scheduled at the commissioners’ Feb. 25 meeting.
“We are getting around to a lot of culvert projects that have, I guess, been neglected the past couple of years,” Regnier said.
Several culverts have been washed out, which will involve lifting the culverts out so their beds can be cleaned and built up again. Then the same culverts can be returned to the site.
A few, Regnier said, will need to be completely replaced.
In addition, the one-year plan includes work on two road dams, one to correct its installation and one due to a hole in the embankment.
Two county bridges are on the plan pending the availability of funding to match state’s 55% “bridge match” dollars, one to be replaced west of 350th and Raymond Road, and the other to have a new bridge deck east of 266th and Branched Oak Road.
Other projects include a possible overlay to preserve 336th Road (Missile Base Road) and completion of the bridge now under construction near Beaver Crossing.
Two projects discussed around last year’s roads projects will remain in the six-year plan for now.
The pavement of about 5.5 miles of 420th Road from Highway 34 to the interstate awaits some additional grant funding, and the plans to pave 154th Road between Highway 34 and the interstate north of the Pleasant Dale interchange are delayed to address potential sight concerns at the Highway 34 intersection.
The draft 1- and 6-year plan is available in the highway department office in the courthouse. Regnier said once the commissioners endorse it, the plan will also be available in the Seward County Clerk’s office.
