Jason Peters, Superintendent of the Marshall County Highway Department appeared before the County Council this week with a request to use the funds remaining in the Bridge Repair Fund from the 2018 flood. After the February Flood the County Council committed $1.5 million for flood repairs. Flood repairs are being completed now with the bridge scour project. Peters said the project bid was underestimate and he anticipates about $250,000 left in the line item.
Peters told the council he would like to use the remaining fund for bridge maintenance. He asked members if the funds should remain in the Bridge Repair Fund or create a Bridge Maintenance Fund.
Council members were supportive of the plan presented by Peters and said once the bridge scour projects are completed and paid for they would move the remaining funds to a Bridge Maintenance Fund that will be located inside the Rainy-Day Fund.
Council members unanimously also approved Peters’ request to begin another lease with Republic First National to lease 6 big dump trucks for the department.
The County began leasing dump trucks and larger equipment in 2017. That 5-year lease on the trucks and the distributor and chipper box will end in 2022. The leasing company has proposed preparing a new 5-lease agreement with the new trucks coming at the end of this year and the payments commencing in 2023. Peters said the Cum Cap Fund has been able to handle the annual payments and this would just continue the payments for another 5-years.
Peter’s final request was to appropriate money from the Motor Vehicle Highway(MVH) Fund and Local Roads and Streets (LR&S) to allow more funds for road improvements.
The Highway Superintendent explained his budget and the funds he has available to County Council members. He was able to show them that he could take another $500,000 from the MVH Fund and $300,000 from LR&S and put it to work on the roads beginning this summer.
The county council was supportive of the idea but could not approve the additional appropriation until the appropriate paperwork is submitted and advertised. Council members will consider the request at the meeting on April 12th.
