The Marshall County Council voted unanimously to support the commissioners in their quest to reestablish the Cumulative Capital Development Fund to the maximum point.
Commissioner Kurt Garner said the fund will mostly assist the highway department in annual equipment costs.
“We should be somewhere around $320,000 of the estimated $412,000 that we would have in addition,” explained Garner. “We’ll be using about three-quarters of that amount that’s coming in by shifting this equipment cost over to that.”
Garner added that the reestablishment of the Cumulative Capital Development Fund would relieve some of the strain on other accounts and provide funds for needed road projects.
He noted that the proposed tax increase is $.0333 per $100 of assessed valuation of property.
“It means $16.40 per $100,000 of assessed value. If you break that out for the typical homeowner who has a mortgage exemption and homestead credit that comes to about $5.50 a year. We’re talking between $5.00 and $6.00 as an increase in the homeowner’s taxes which is $.50 a month. This is not some whopping tax increase by any stretch.”
Highway Supervisor Jason Peters said any funding for roads right now is big.
“Based on our budgets right now we’re looking at about $850,000 to put on the roads,” said Peters. “Personally, I think that should be about $2 million to $2.5 million. If we’re going to get back to getting roads good again, I think everybody understands it takes funding to get there.”
Peters added that a community crossing grant may also help the highway department repair another 15 to 20 miles.
Peters was also quick to thank the council members for their support of the highway department in crunching numbers to help fund what can be done thus far.
The funds currently generated by the Cumulative Capital Development Fund go toward IT equipment, software and licensing. Garner doesn’t anticipate the increase to be completely utilized by the highway department, but the remaining amount can build to help with other immediate needs by the county.
The council did unanimously approve a motion to support the commissioners in reestablishing the Cumulative Capital Development Fund at its maximum rate.
The Marshall County Commissioners last week voted to host a public hearing on the matter on Monday, April 3 at 9 a.m. in the second floor meeting room in the Marshall County Building.
