Two representatives from the Lake Latonka Property Owners Association requested help from the Marshall County Commissioners concerning road work in that area. This is the second request of its kind in the past year.
The association representatives say that there are some patches of road around the private community that are in need of some work and the members are willing to pay for materials and labor if the county can provide the equipment for the work.
The roads are the property of Lake Latonka and not Marshall County.
The private ownership of the roads creates a problem, according to County Attorney Jim Clevenger.
“It’s private road and that’s where the county runs afoul of making improvements to a private road,” declared Clevenger.
Lake Latonka Property Owners Association Vice President Mike Maddox argued that the homeowners pay county property taxes and believes something can be done in return.
Commissioner Mike Delp suggested that the association could seek bids to do the work from other paving companies and just do sections at a time as funding allows.
Talks about regional sewer districts are on the mind of the homeowners association so Commissioner Stan Klotz’s suggestion of increasing association fees to cover the cost of roadwork may not be favorable.
There has been discussion concerning turning the roads over the county, but past conversations haven’t been productive as the county doesn’t entirely know what they’re receiving.
The consensus of the commissioners was that the county cannot help due to the private ownership of the roads.
