County Commissioners to Seek Additional Appropration from Cum Bridge Fund to Pay USI Invoice for Small Structure Inspections

On Monday the Marshall County Commissioners unanimously passed a motion to pay for the Small Structure Inventory Project out of the Cumulative Bridge Fund (Cum Bridge).  They will submit an additional appropriation request to the County Council for consideration at their 8^th June meeting. 

The history of this issue between the Commissioners and Council shows that in early November 2022, Highway Superintendent Jason Peters presented an agreement between the Marshall County Commissioners and USI Consultants, Inc. for the Marshall Countywide Small Structure Inspections for review.  The agreement was not to exceed $200,000 and includes conducting inspections on up to 485 small structures.  The initial cost of the inspections is $350 for each small structure. 

During that same meeting, it was noted that funding for the agreement was available in the County’s Rainy-Day Fund from the 2018 Flood Recovery account line. County Commissioners Stan Klotz and Kevin Overmyer approved the contract with Commissioner Mike Burroughs being absent from the meeting.

The County Commissioners presented a request for an additional appropriation from the Rainy-Day Fund to the County Council at their April 13^th meeting.  The Council sent the commissioner’s request asking them to consider paying for the project out of the Cum Bridge Fund which Councilman Tim Harman said has plenty of funds available to cover the $200,000 cost.   

During the April 17th Commissioner’s meeting the commissioners voted to send their additional appropriation request back to the County Council with funding coming from the Rainy-Day Fund.   

When the County Council met on May 11^th, they unanimously motioned to deny the commissioner’s additional appropriation request and again told them they were willing to pay for the project out of the Cum Bridge Fund.

The Small Structure Inventory Project involves creating a detailed inventory of structures with locations and an analysis of each structure.     

Commissioners Kevin Overmyer said they have had an invoice from USI for nearly 5 months and it was time to get it paid.  The Commissioners agreed to not only ask to have the $160,000 invoice paid from the Cum Bridge Fund but also asked for a pre-pay so it can be done as soon as the County Council approves it.