Highway staff (Speaker 3) updated the committee on winter operations, describing increased use of solar salt brine and the county's testing of 'storm extreme' units that deliver a brine/mixture that stays on pavement rather than bouncing off. Staff said the county has three storm-extreme units in service (assigned across sections) and that a fourth unit is under construction at a builder but will not arrive this season.

Speaker 3 said each storm-extreme unit carries about 1,700 gallons of brine and approximately 8 tons of rock salt; staff noted brine use can reduce salt consumption and improve performance. The department currently has internal brine storage capacity of approximately 20,000 gallons (plus a 10,000-gallon freshwater tank and a 10,000-gallon calcium tank) and is discussing repurposing or modifying tanks to increase salt-brine capacity to about 30,000 gallons.

Committee members asked whether smaller units exist for tandems or smaller trucks; staff said they have deployed smaller configurations on tandem trucks and will continue internal discussion on optimal placements. Staff also said they will monitor operator storm reports and materials usage to evaluate cost and performance before committing to broader rollouts.