The Marshall County Commissioners discussed a funding shortfall in funding the Highway Department’s road program for the remainder of the year.
Highway Superintendent Jason Peters previously explained that the department will see a shortfall of about $1.78 million due to inflation and fuel prices.
Peters noted that nothing has been added to the schedule. The funding is needed to complete the projects already approved by the commissioners for the 2022 road program. The schedule is typically approved in the first quarter of the year.
Last week, the Marshall County Council unanimously voted in support of the $1.78 million additional appropriation with the use of American Rescue Plan Act funds, and if the commissioners do not support that, the council voted by majority to appropriate $1 million from the General Fund to cover the shortfall. Councilman Tim Harman abstained from the vote.
The commissioners took up the conversation Monday morning, where they reviewed the rules of American Rescue Plan Act funds. Auditor Julie Fox stated that the projects could be spent out of the American Rescue Plan Act line item under “Highway Materials”. Wages would still be paid out of county funds, per the guidelines provided.
In the end, the commissioners agreed to support $890,000 of funding for highway materials to come out of American Rescue Plan Act funds and $890,000 from the county’s General Fund.
