At their last meeting of the year, members of the Lapeer County Road Commission approved a law enforcement contract with the Sheriff's Dept. for deputy and weighmaster Orrie Smith, which reflects both the success of the program and the impact of diminishing revenues.

The former full-time contract now calls for a combination of full-time and part-time months throughout the year, calibrated to address peak times. The position provides enforcement for commercial traffic, as well as road patrol support, particularly in construction zones.

LCRC Managing Director Rick Pearson said that the road commission has seen a funding decrease of $949,000 since 2004. “That’s a significant change along with increases in costs,” Pearson said.