WALLACE — Weather forecasters are calling for another unusual winter across North Idaho and the Pacific Northwest, with above-average temperatures and a snowpack driven by a few large storms rather than consistent snowfall throughout the season.

For Shoshone County Roads Supervisor Wayne Corona and the county's public works department, that outlook brings both opportunities and challenges.

During a recent meeting with county commissioners, Corona did some forecasting of his own, warning that road maintenance could become a serious issue if the department cannot find additional employees to help keep roads plowed this winter.

Corona and shop supervisor Larry Hammer told commissioners several areas throughout the county could receive reduced plowing service or be deprioritized if the department cannot fill open positions.

“What we don’t want to do is wait until there’s snow on the ground to start having this conversation,” Corona said.

“We need to come up with some plans,” Hammer said. “What happens if we don’t get enough people to plow these roads?”

During the nonwinter months, the county budgets for 15 employees across its four road districts: Murray (District 1), Smelterville (District 2), Osburn (District 3) and Marble Creek (District 4). According to Corona and Hammer, the department currently has nine employees.

During the winter, the county is budgeted to hire nine additional temporary employees to assist with snow removal.

Hammer said the department's highest priorities are school bus routes and main arterial roads, with bus routes carrying significantly greater importance.

The biggest concern, Hammer said, is Dobson Pass. Keeping the pass open requires substantial equipment and manpower, and crews must clear it both in the morning and again in the afternoon to accommodate school bus traffic.

Corona is working with the Wallace School District to develop a contingency plan for the handful of students who live in areas accessed by Dobson Pass.

Larson Road near Mullan and Lake Gulch Road, which serves the Galena Mine, are the other two roads that could be removed from District 3's primary plow routes.

In District 2, several smaller roads would be dropped from scheduled plowing and maintained only if crews have time to return after completing higher-priority routes. Those roads include Buckham, Nelson, Doolittle, Brandon Loop and Louma, among others.

The county would also need to keep both Coeur d'Alene River Road and Old River Road open, especially if Dobson Pass closes, to ensure residents have two routes in and out of the area.

“These are things we hope we never have to do,” Hammer said. “But if we don’t have people, there’s roads we just ain’t going to be able to take care of.”

The county's many gulches, which are heavily populated, would continue to be plowed so school buses can access those neighborhoods.

The starting wage for a county roads employee is currently $23.50 an hour. Earlier this year, Hammer raised similar concerns with commissioners, warning that staffing levels were approaching a critical point. Since that meeting, the department has lost three employees.

“It’s starting to keep me up at night,” Hammer said. “It’s my job to keep these roads open in the wintertime. And when we had this conversation back in June, about being critical, we were O.K. because it was summertime and there was enough to keep going and keep busy – but wintertime, that’s another story.”

Commissioner Dave Dose called the situation ironic because the county previously didn't have money to pay its employees. Now they have funds available but can't get anyone to work for the department. 

The commissioners are considering several possible solutions, including sign-on bonuses for new roads department employees and combining positions to create a salary attractive enough to recruit a mechanic. The county currently does not have one on staff.

Anyone interested in applying for a position with the county should contact Corona at 208-753-5475. A commercial driver's license is preferred but not required.