Funding support requests were presented to the Marshall County Council Monday morning as Highway Superintendent Jason Peters explained several different funding needs.
Peters asked to use $250,000 in a line item under flood repairs in the Rainy Day Fund to be spent on maintenance and preventative maintenance on the county’s bridges. Peters explained that $1.5 million was set aside for flood damage repairs in 2018. The scour projects are anticipated to be done soon which will leave about $250,000 in that line item. He asked the council to support the transfer of those funds to a maintenance line item in the Rainy Day Fund to be used for bridge maintenance.
The council supported the request.
Peters also asked for $800,000 to be appropriated to this year’s road program with $500,000 coming from the Motor Vehicle Highway Fund and $300,000 from the Local Roads and Streets Fund. The commissioners have yet to approve a finalized road program plan for 2021, but Peters did indicate that the county’s gravel roads will receive some attention.
That request was approved. Peters indicated that work to prepare roads for work is ongoing before the paving season begins.
Finally, Peters asked to replace six dump trucks. He explained that the council members and commissioners previously decided to lease trucks on a five-year lease plan at $231,000. That lease is expected to be up in 2023, but the county has a chance to purchase the trucks now.
“The county highway and previous council members and commissioners have looked at leasing dump trucks on a five-year lease,” explained Peters. “We’re in position right now where we can go ahead and purchase those trucks, defer payments until 2023, 2022 would be paid in a normal cycle and then we’d start right back up in 2023.”
The lease price would increase roughly $30,000 beginning in 2023.
The council members approved the request for the funding with a unanimous vote. The commissioners previously gave support toward Peters’ requests for funding.
Any transfers or additional appropriations will be acted on at the next council meeting in April.
