County road rock prices up second time in six months

Rock prices at the Denison quarry, which is operated by Mid-State Materials, are going up again, the Jackson County Commissioners learned recently. It is the second rate increase in six months, it was reported.

Chad Gerhardt of Mid-States Materials recently met with the commissioners to discuss the price increase.

The price of 1¼-inch road rock was increased from $20.45 a ton to $21.20 a ton. Three-inch base rock increased from $20.15 a ton to $21 a ton, and two-inch base rock also increased from $20.45 a ton to $21.30 a ton. Additional increases were also noted for screened rock.

The county has purchased about 18,000 tons of rock from the company this year, so far, compared to 47,811 tons purchased at the same time in 2024 and 49,053 purchased at the same time in 2023.

In 2024, the county purchased a total of 102,469 tons of rock from Denison quarry, according to information provided by Gerhardt.

Commission Chairman Mark Pruett said that the county will want to renegotiate the pricing when the county’s agreement is up with the company next year.

As part of the current agreement, Mid-States Materials pays the county 15 cents per ton for all tons of rock and/or construction materials hauled from the quarry for use toward maintenance of the roads near the quarry.

The county also receives a 65-cents per ton price rebate if it purchases 50,000 or more tons a year.

“I’m not sure at your current level of 18,000 tons if you’ll hit 50,000 this year,” Gerhardt said.

Gerhardt said the county pays 50 cents less per ton than rock hauling contractors. 

Commissioner Keith Kelly asked why the business was increasing its prices for the second time in six months. Gerhardt said that it was due to increases in operational and labor costs. There is also a high demand for aggregate rock right now.

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