Dalton “Fuzzy” Hoffman Says Roads, Bridges and Business Experience Shape His Presiding Commissioner Campaign

LEWIS COUNTY, Mo. — Dalton Hoffman, better known to many in Lewis County as “Fuzzy,” joined Wes and Eric with the Lewis County Scoop for an interview focused on his campaign for Lewis County Presiding Commissioner, his business background, county roads, bridge concerns, road and bridge staffing and why he believes his experience could help the county.

Hoffman, the owner of Fuzzy’s Trucking, said he has lived in Lewis County his whole life and built his business from the ground up several years ago after starting with mowing, snow removal and hauling rock on the side.

“I mean, I had a lot of local support for that,” he said. “Good community, everybody kind of giving me a shot and helping me get going.”


The conversation began with the recent Lewis County Fair before turning to the county commission race. Hoffman said his background in trucking, dirt work, gravel roads, culverts, water drainage and driveway work gives him experience he believes could be useful in county government.

One question we didn’t get asked in the interview, but thought it was an important question. We asked Fuzzy if his business, “Fuzzy’s Trucking” would be awarded any county contracts or be used to conduct county business?

“I do have experience in building roads and rocking roads and grading roads and culverts, water drainage,” he said.

The Lewis County candidate said he sees county roads regularly while delivering gravel and traveling throughout the area for work. Because of that, he said he has a firsthand look at problem areas and roads that may need attention.

“I do kind of see the roads pretty often, and see what kind of shape they’re in and what roads could use attention,” he said.

Wes also raised the idea of using people who are already on gravel roads every day, such as mail carriers, to help report problem areas to the county. Hoffman said having more eyes on the roads could be helpful.

Road maintenance became one of the main topics of the interview.

Fuzzy said he believes some Lewis County roads need improvement, but also acknowledged the county does not have unlimited money to fix every issue at once. He said heavy rains can damage roads quickly, even if the roads were in good condition before the storm.

While he said he cannot promise everything would be fixed immediately, Hoffman said he would be willing to use his experience to help improve the county.

“To get a road to hold six-inch rain is going to be tough,” he said.

While he said he cannot promise everything would be fixed immediately, Hoffman said he would be willing to use his experience to help improve the county.

“I would definitely try,” he said. “I would love to see what I can do to just help out and change things for the better.”

The Lewis County business owner said part of his interest in running comes from wanting to give back to the county that helped support his business.

The interview also touched on the learning curve that would come with serving as presiding commissioner. Hoffman said he has attended Sunshine Law training and understands there would be state statutes and procedures to learn if elected.

“There’s a lot to learn,” he said.

He said the Sunshine Law training was helpful, especially in understanding how public meetings should be conducted, including open and closed meetings.

County road planning was another point of emphasis.

Hoffman said he believes the county should look at setting aside money each year to improve specific stretches of road that repeatedly wash out during moderate rains. Instead of constantly patching the same areas, he said the county should consider a more long-term approach when the budget allows.

“Why can’t we start a budget to say we’re going to look at these certain roads that we have trouble with every time we get a two-inch or three-inch rain?” he said.

He said some roads are repeatedly damaged, requiring rock, labor and equipment time over and over again.

“Every time we get a two- or three-inch good rain, the road’s blown out, and here we are band-aiding it,” Hoffman said.

In his view, some roads need more than basic maintenance. They need attention to crowns, ditches and drainage.

Hoffman said Lewis County has roughly 522 miles of road to maintain, which creates a major challenge for road and bridge crews, especially when the department is short-staffed.

“That’s a huge amount of road,” he said.

He also said he does not blame county employees for all of the road concerns, saying the amount of road miles and staffing shortages make the job difficult.

The candidate said the county needs to work toward being fully staffed, including in the courthouse and road and bridge department. He said county wages are concerning to him, especially for workers who are expected to operate equipment, work in extreme heat or cold, handle bridge work and respond during snow events.

Hoffman said he could not promise wage changes without seeing the budget, but said it is an issue that should be looked at.

“I can’t promise anything,” he said.

Asked what he would want to work on if elected, Fuzzy said bridges would be high on the list. He said several bridges in the county are closed or in poor condition, but he does not believe the county has enough money to simply begin replacing them all without help.

“I would be very interested in looking into bridge grants,” he said.

The Bailey bridge north of town was specifically mentioned. Hoffman said closed bridges affect residents, travel routes and the roads leading up to them. If a bridge stays closed for years, he said the roads around it may also become more costly to restore once the bridge is eventually replaced.

“I would be very interested in looking into bridge grants,” he said.

“One person isn’t going to change it all,” he said. “Nothing’s going to change overnight.”

Still, he said he believes he could bring a different perspective to county government because of his daily experience with roads, gravel, drainage and equipment.

“I think I could bring a change to it,” he said.

Hoffman closed by encouraging residents to vote in the Aug. 4 primary election.

“If you’re not registered to vote, get registered to vote,” he said. “One vote matters.”

The interview is part of the Lewis County Scoop’s effort to provide voters with direct access to candidates running for public office. The Lewis County Scoop does not endorse any candidate. Podcast interviews & this article are provided for informational purposes only so voters can hear directly from the candidates and make their own decisions.