Maine DOT canceling most paving work (to buy, contractors, maintenance)

[Northern Maine Land Man]

Rep. Doug Thomas of Ripley writes:

"On Friday, Maine Department of Transportation Commissioner (MDOT) David Cole announced he will cancel 75-percent of all maintenance paving projects because of reduced funding levels in the Highway Budget approved last week by the Maine Legislature.

Wait a minute. The MDOT has plenty of money, from $130 million in federal stimulus money, to $150 million in Garvee Bonds, to the increase in the gas tax (indexing) every year, to the 40-percent increase in the cost to license a car last year - we're paying enough.

The new Highway Budget includes a new spending line item: $75 million dollars to a new fund TransCap Fund. This fund enables the MDOT to borrow-and-spend hundreds of millions of dollars above what is in the Highway Budget - without voter approval. Hundreds of millions of dollars taxpayers have to repay with interest. We can keep our roads in good condition by using just part of that $75 million. Legislators tried to make changes to the Highway Budget to do just that, but their ideas were rejected."

The DOT's priorities are to keep their bloated staff employed and plow snow. Way down the list comes actual road maintenance. Here are some of the staffers before benefits and overtime. Ehat does a public service executive do, anyway?

WholeName PositionName TotalCompensation
Van Note, Bruce A PUBLIC SERVICE EXECUTIVE III 152,349.9
Dority, John PUBLIC SERVICE EXECUTIVE III 148,762.1
Nadeau, Gregory G PUBLIC SERVICE EXECUTIVE II 143,154.4
Bernhardt, David PUBLIC SERVICE EXECUTIVE II 141,421.9
Sweeney, Kenneth PUBLIC SERVICE EXECUTIVE II 140,638.2
Kemmerle, Toni L PUBLIC SERVICE EXECUTIVE II 132,313.1
Taylor, Joyce N PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER III 131,505
Watson, Robert K PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER III 130,872
Fuller, Kathleen B PUBLIC SERVICE EXECUTIVE II 130,409.6
Cole, David A COMM DEPT OF TRANSPORTATION 128,543.6
Ibarguen, Bruce A PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER III 128,500.1
Doyle, Karen S PUBLIC SERVICE EXECUTIVE II 127,563.5
Haggan, Allan PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER II 127,454.2
Casey, Jerome PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER III 126,462.9
Buxton, John E PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER III 125,818
Snowden, Brent A PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER III 125,235.9
Elder, Robert PUBLIC SERVICE EXECUTIVE II 123,792.8
Haggan, Norman C PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER III 123,387.2
Fletcher, Rhonda F PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER III 123,382.3
Burns, Michael E PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER III 123,382.3
Baker, Norman L PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER III 121,587.1
Mattson, Bruce W CIVIL ENGINEER III 120,099.4
Sherlock, David PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER III 119,952.5
Cannell, John W PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER III 118,463.6
Poor, John H MANAGER TRANS INVESTIGATIONS 118,326
Roy, Ronald L PUBLIC SERVICE EXECUTIVE II 118,264.2
Landry, Stephen PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER II 117,225
Shepherd, Eric C PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER II 117,214.3
Burne, Brian T PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER II 117,214.1
Pelletier, Todd E PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER II 117,196.6
Coughlan, Peter M PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER II 116,223.5
Dubois, Rick J PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER II 116,223.5
Thomson, Herbert J PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER II 116,060.3
Bubar, Brent S PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER II 115,405
Foster, Benjamin W CIVIL ENGINEER IV 114,863.1
Hall, Kyle A PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER II 114,756.3
Williams, Gary C PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER II 114,480
Hannan, Terrence J PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER II 114,419.2
Quimby, Raymond PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER II 114,412.2
Crawford, Richard J PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER II 114,412.2
Caswell, Terry PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER II 113,624.9
Hume, Mark A PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER II 113,341.2
Charette, Russell PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER II 112,950.1
Peabody, Dale H PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER II 112,375.1
Auger, John P CIVIL ENGINEER II 111,752.5
Rooney, Martin J PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER II 111,531.5
Pulver, William A PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER II 111,148.1
Hurd, Craig F CIVIL ENGINEER II 110,653.4
Getchell III, Arthur H PUBLIC SERVICE MANAGER II 110,498.1

[retiredtinbender]

But at least the trails have a chance to be fixed up/built. I remember when you wanted to walk in the woods you just went out and walked in the woods. Now we need rails to trails, trail improvements, signs, etc. But I guess vehicles don't need too many amenities. Sorry, grouchy little curmudgeon this morning.

$20 Million in Trail Funds Sought for District.
TOWNSHIP 3 INDIAN PURCHASE, Maine — U.S. Rep. Michael Michaud is seeking $20 million in federal funds to pay for multiuse recreational trails and bridges within his district just like the planned bridge over the Penobscot River’s West Branch he helped break ground for on Saturday.

$20M in trail funds sought for district - Bangor Daily News

[dmyankee]

I thought about posting that assanine BDN article myself! Michaud is frikkin' clueless!

[shadowfax1997]

NMLN

did you hit the nail on the head. There should be plenty of funds. Looking at the list is absolutely frightening what these people get paid. And it isn't just them. I have friends retired DOT at 55yrs old with FULL benies.

Isn't it great to see what 30 plus years of democrat control in augusta has brought us.

[reloop]

NMLM asks "What does a public service executive do, anyway?"

Well offhand, I'd say he or she makes more money than I do.

I would like to see the job description 'tho.

Was that info taken from the maine.gov website?

[Coaster]

This is only the beginning IMO. Michigan this year has started a policy of letting rural paved roads go back to gravel. Wisconsin and other Northern Tier states will be right behind it. It used to be that paving a road was cheaper than maintaining a gravel road, but oil prices have hammered that idea. Even the counties around D.C. are now cutting back maintenance and eliminating grass mowing.

Has anyone here driven 131 through Appleton and Searsmont lately? It hasn't been touched in years as far as I can tell, and anyone who tries to go faster than 45 mph on it will need a new front end within the first five miles. We'll see back roads all over the state reverting to gravel in a few years.

[dubthang]

It's easy to point out problems without having any idea of what is actually going on. I work in Public Services (not DOT, but the structure is the same,) and I know that there are some people at the top that could be trimmed. Having said that, there are many that do a lot of work. It takes a lot of time and effort to set up multiple jobs. Asphault is expensive. Asphault is also constantly changing every year too. MDOT constantly tests and works on new formulas to achieve the best possible material for our roads. Roads do get pushed aside sometimes do to a lack of cash flow. Remember, this is Maine so plowing will always get the most money.

As for Maine State retirement... workers pay into this. They pay quite a bit into this. Being able to retire in 20 or 25 years is a bennie that they have earned. They are union too so you can't just fire them, and take away their own money that they contributed.

[dmyankee]

Originally Posted by dubthang

It's easy to point out problems without having any idea of what is actually going on. I work in Public Services (not DOT, but the structure is the same,) and I know that there are some people at the top that could be trimmed. Having said that, there are many that do a lot of work. It takes a lot of time and effort to set up multiple jobs. Asphault is expensive. Asphault is also constantly changing every year too. MDOT constantly tests and works on new formulas to achieve the best possible material for our roads. Roads do get pushed aside sometimes do to a lack of cash flow. Remember, this is Maine so plowing will always get the most money.

As for Maine State retirement... workers pay into this. They pay quite a bit into this. Being able to retire in 20 or 25 years is a bennie that they have earned. They are union too so you can't just fire them, and take away their own money that they contributed.

This is Maine, so the plowing for overtime pay gets the money. What BS! Plows are out in force at the 1/4" of snowfall around here and there are always 2-3 plows following in tandem all over the place for two days after a big storm. Don't tell me it doesn't happen, because I see it all the time!

If it's orange and brown, and sleeps three, it has to be a Maine DOT Truck!

[Northern Maine Land Man]

I remember when they used to spray liquid tar on dirt roads and then spread sand on them. Over a few years they would have a layer of pavement. It worked, but they had a decent base underneath. Today we spread a "skinny coat" of asphalt over broken up roads for the tourist season. As soon as it freezes, the same cracks as before appear and that calcium seeps down to the base as soon as there is any snow on the road. A solution of calcium chloride won't freeze until about 20 below and it ruins cars.

"Michigan this year has started a policy of letting rural paved roads go back to gravel."

I often think of the Golden Road which has a far higher load limit than I-95 and has a far smoother surface most of the year.

[Maineah]

I'm all for the roads going back to gravel. At least they can grade them once in a while. I'll sell the car and buy another pick up with better suspension and they can forget the paving. They can also forget the gas tax, excise tax, property tax, registration fees and every other tax until they clean out the bloated dead weight this State is saddled with! As for salaries no one working for this State including the Governor should make more than a high school teacher's salary.