While the County Council previously told the County Highway Department they would support the Community Crossroads grant application process, Commissioner Kurt Garner and Jason Peters from the County Highway appeared before them on Monday with details and seeking confirmation of their support.
Garner said, “The Community Crossing Grant, as you know, offers a million dollar grant through the state and INDOT.” Last month he asked the council for a commitment so the county could maximize the grant which would be a local commitment of about $400,000 from the county. A 25% match.
Council members were presented a list of proposed projects, the same list the commissioners approved last month. Garner said they did substitute one project out, the 17th Road/Dewy Street project south of Argos. He said, “The project that road projects was going to support won’t happen until next year so we pulled that out and substituted Michigan Road from the Argos town limits south to State Road 110.”
The original amount projected was $1, 46l million. This substitution will cause an adjustment on the total. He said they plan to get firmer quotes on the various projects.
Jason Peters from the County Highway said, “Tentatively this is what our list is, but these are the roads we are looking at. Money will determine which ones get done.” He doesn’t want anyone to be under the impression that all roads submitted will be completed projects. Peters said it will be based on the estimates and the type of projects, mill and fills or overlays.
It was also noted that projects may not be completed yet this year. Projects could be held over until next year for completion because so many more cities, towns and counties are applying for the grants and contractors may be much busier.
County Council member Penny Lukenbill asked about the funding for the Community Crossing grant match, noting there are no additional appropriations currently for the match.
County president Judy Stone said the is almost $114,000 left in the LOHUT special distribution fund.
Council member Jon VanVactor said, “There will be some money left over from this year’s grant. While part of it will go back to the state, there’s like 40 some thousand of local match that would be left after the Apple Road Bridge replacement project is complete.”
With approximately $154,000 available for this year’s Community Crossing grant match the county needs approximately $246,000 to meet the $400,000 local match. Council member generally agreed that the rest of the match should come from the Rainy Day Fund.
Lukenbill then asked about the additional $700,000 the County Highway Department had asked for this spring to complete their normal road program.
Council president Judy Stone said, “I could go either way. This has been such a moving target the past few months I’d like to sit back and wait and see what happens the next couple of months.” She did not that if they used the rainy day fund that it should be replenish it with General Fund at the end of the year. Again council members seemed to agree.
