No matter where you are in McLeod County, one job is likely to have an impact on your day whenever you have somewhere to be: the county public works director.
For the past 21 years, John Brunkhorst has overseen county road work from one end of the county to the other, managing county roads, and working with the state — and sometimes federal government — on highways. When he took on the role after four years in Renville County, he was the engineer, but in recent years the role grew to include parks and recreation, and the fairgrounds.
His last day on the job was Jan. 26, as he has taken a position with Stonebrooke Engineering in Burnsville.
“I’ll still be living in Hutchinson,” he said. “I actually set up a home office out here.”
In his new job, he’ll help with business development, bring on new clients and recruit staff.
“I’d been contemplating (moving to the private sector) for a few years,” Brunkhorst said. “I’d accomplished quite a few things as the county engineer. I enjoyed working here. Some of the politics starts to wear on you.”
As McLeod County’s engineer, Brunkhorst was also involved in the Minnesota County Engineers Association, including a term as president in 2014. In 2015, he achieved the organization’s highest award: Outstanding County Engineer of The Year. In 2018, he was the National Association of County Engineers rural engineer of the year.
Locally, Brunkhorst oversaw the completion of Hutchinson’s southwest ring road roughly 15 years ago along Vale Avenue and Airport Road. It was designed to circle Hutchinson from State Highway 7 on the west to State Highway 15 on the south. More recently, the issue of a northeast ring road was studied, but after feedback, the idea was shelved.
“We did our due diligence on the northeast ring road,” Brunkhorst said.
The completion of the Morningside Drive corridor in Glencoe started before Brunkhorst’s time with the county.
‘I got to see the end of it,” he said. “That goes back to the 1960s.”
At its annual conference in January, the Minnesota County Engineers Association bestowed its Special Project of the Year award for 2022 to McLeod County for the work.
This summer, the county will complete the County Road 5 extension in Winsted between County Road 1 and County Road 9.
One undertaking Brunkhorst said stands out is the county’s use of concrete overlays. It has become the go to on new construction and pavement rehabilitation on major corridors.
“I think now we’re up to 70 miles,” Brunkhorst said. “it’s been an effective tool for our pavement rehabilitation, and it’s gotten a lot of compliments over the years from neighbors and users on the durability. So, I’m proud of that one.”
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With so much work to do on county roads, parks and amenities, the task requires much more than one man. For instance, when a winter storm hit McLeod County just before Christmas, that meant McLeod County’s workers had plenty of work ahead.
“Those guys were out three weeks in a row,” Brunkhorst said. “They have a lot of pride in keeping the roads clean.”
Maintenance staff have proven their dedication to McLeod County, he said, but over the years many have come and gone.
“Last year, with the bump the county did with the pay plan, I think that will help,” Brunkhorst said. “Hopefully going forward it won’t be that way. But, with the economy now, there are a lot of vacancies.”
On the engineering side, the county staff “crank out a lot of work.”
“It’s a good bunch right now,” Brunkhorst said.
He also touted the county’s geographic information system.
“It was in its infancy when I got there,” Brunkhorst said. “it’s running well on its own now, and has a lot of good products out there for constituents.”
McLeod County has interactive maps that include property and land records, tax information, transportation and boundary information. There are also interactive park and fairground maps. They can be accessed by anyone at the “County Maps” link at mcleodcountymn.gov. While the GIS department has grown, and so, too, have its offerings, Brunkhorst has seen other changes come to the county.
Once upon a time, in 2001, bituminous overlay cost $80,000 per mile. Now it’s pushing $200,000 per mile. When Brunkhorst started, a fully equipped snowplow cost around $130,000. Now they’re around $300,000. But, along the way, new technologies have been added to those vehicles, which helps the maintenance manager track material use.
Traditionally, all surveying on the county’s roads had to be done manually. Now, roadways, ditches and nearby land can be analyzed with aerial photography as well.
“You still have to survey different things, but it’s helped a lot,” Brunkhorst said.
Technology is also changing the way concrete is applied. The usual method has been to use string to help keep the application level. Now GPS with periodical control points is able to handle the job.
“That’s a huge leap forward,” Brunkhorst said.
Technology is likely to continue advancing. Brunkhorst said future county engineers will likely need to prepare for what changes it will bring, such as for autonomous vehicles that may need additional signage and lane markings.
“Those are coming,” he said.
Advancement will also play into rising costs.
“The cost of everything, not only snow plows and equipment — the cost of doing business,” Brunkhorst said. “And funding levels aren’t keeping up at the same level. You have to have that balance.”
With cars becoming more efficient and requiring less gas, and more hybrid and electric vehicles on the way, Brunkhorst predicts funding streams will need to shift away from a gas tax.
“County systems will have to be ready to handle that,” he said.
