Marshall County is still under an advisory level travel advisory because the conditions of the county roads.
During Monday’s County Council meeting Kevin Overmyer, President of the Commissioners brought up the subject of finding new funding for road repairs. He said, “In the senate’s budget bill to the governor there was no additional money for local roads and streets.” Commissioner continued, “ We had the Association of County Commissioners, Association of Indiana Counties, Build Indiana Council and Cities and Towns wanting additional money for roads and streets but it fell on deaf ears down state.”
Overmyer said he believed counties are being forced to implement an additional tax for road repairs before the state will put any new money into the pot. He said a LOHUT; Local Option Highway User Tax is one option. State statue sets the fee of $25 for cars and vehicles and on top of that a wheel tax for trailers, semis and other vehicles.
Although Overmyer doesn’t know exactly how much could be generated yet, it appears state legislators want counties to use the tools available to them to raise new money locally before they put more funds out for them.
Overmyer said the county highway is working on the issues, “We are out grinding the roads right now. We are going to berm roads to get the water off of them and we are starting to put a plan together.” He continued, “There’s going to be a lot of grinding going on and some of these roads might not be going back to chip and seal for a year.”
Although the county has about $800,000 available, the two sever winters has caused major damage all over the county.
The commissioner said he is planning a joint meeting with the Council and Commissioners to hear a presentation on the LOHUT in the near future.
