The Marshall County Commissioners have not yet hired a person to fill the vacancy of Highway Administrator Laurie Baker. Baker’s retirement begins at the end of the business day today.
Commissioners Ratify Advertisement for County Engineer/Director
The Marshall County Commissioners ratified an action taken to expedite the process in hiring a county engineer/director for the highway position.
The county council last week approved an amended job description for the position. Since the advertisement for the position under the old job description already took place, a new advertisement needed to be done that spells out the new responsibilities.
Marshall County Commissioners to Meet Today
The Marshall County Commissioners will meet today.
County Highway Supervisor Jason Peters and Highway Administrator Laurie Baker will be before the commissioners for a report as well as information from CHA Design Construction Solutions. Pam Davis will present information on the effort to brand Marshall County and EMA Director Clyde Avery will provide his quarterly report as well as a strategic plan.
Highway Administrator Job Opening to be Advertised
The Marshall County Commissioners took action Monday morning to advertise the open position of Marshall County Highway Administrator.
Laurie Baker announced her resignation from the position earlier this month. Her last day will be Dec. 29.
Commissioner Kurt Garner said he read the job description and noticed that the candidate could hold an engineer’s license. Commissioner Kevin Overmyer and Commissioner Mike Delp both agreed that hiring an engineer is not necessary.
Marshall County Highway Administrator Resigns
The Marshall County Commissioners will be looking for a new highway administrator in the next few weeks. Laurie Baker submitted her resignation on Monday morning during the commissioners meeting that is effective Friday, Dec. 29.
Baker stated that she’s had a great experience working with the county in different aspects for a total of 15 years, but she’s looking forward to moving in a different direction and focusing on family time out of the area. Continue reading
Marshall County Highway Department Sees Revenue Increase
The Marshall County Highway Department has completed several miles of paving this year along with berming, pug mill operations, pothole repairs, chip and sealing operations and double chip and sealing operations. With all of that activity, Highway Administrator Laurie Baker says the highway department is seeing a bit of a revenue bump this year. Continue reading
Two Marshall County Community Crossings Bids Approved
Bids were opened Monday morning for the three projects awarded Community Crossings grant funds for Marshall County.
After the bids were opened, the Marshall County Commissioners, Highway Administrator Laurie Baker and Highway Supervisor Jason Peters learned that the $518,322.87 grant along with the $129,580.72 match for the grant will only cover two projects. The grant plus the match will total $647,903.59 and the lowest bids for the two projects that would be the biggest priority will total $642,626.25.
Money Transferred, Requested to Continue with Paving Project
Crews with the Marshall County Highway Department are hoping to do more paving this year. Highway Supervisor Jason Peters was before the county council on Monday with a request for support of an additional appropriation for $300,000.
The additional appropriation has not been published yet so the council could not act on the request.
Marshall Co. Commissioners Support Highway Dept. Request for Funds
The Marshall County Highway Department will be asking the county council for some additional funds and money transfers in order to pave more county roads this season.
Highway Supervisor Jason Peters told the county commissioners that he’ll be requesting $550,000 to $600,000 in an additional appropriation before the county council on Monday, Sept. 11. Continue reading
Communication Improvements Needed at Highway Department
The Marshall County Commissioners are looking to improve communication connections at the highway department.
Highway Administrator Laurie Baker mentioned Monday morning that she was unable to access her email for the past few days to report on several bridge projects due to networking being down at the highway department.
Marshall County Commissioners Approve Lease Paperwork for Paver
Marshall County Highway Administrator Laurie Baker presented the commissioners with lease financing and tax exempt paperwork for the county’s new paver.
County Attorney Jim Clevenger went over a resolution indicating that the county is entering into the lease purchase and agreement is approved substantially. A requirement to verify insurance was also included which was already complete. A list of all proposals considered by the commissioners has to be submitted and that the process was competitive.
Marshall County Highway Department Saving Money with Millings
The staff at the Marshall County Highway Department is doing their best to make dollars stretch when it comes to road work.
Highway Supervisor Jason Peters, Highway Administrator Laurie Baker and the entire department worked hard to get the proper paperwork submitted for testing at the facility in order to be able to house millings from other road projects. Peters said the millings from the State Road 17 resurfacing project, U.S. 31 work and the Plymouth Community School Corporation parking lot paving project will be recycled and used for road paving within the county.
He said the millings the county has received look to be in good shape. Continue reading
Tyler Road Culvert Work to Create Detour
A culvert replacement will cause detoured traffic between St. Joseph County and Marshall County beginning on Monday.
Marshall County Highway Administrator Laurie Baker told the commissioners this week that St. Joseph County highway workers would like to use three roads in Marshall County as a detour while the culvert issues are addressed. Lilac Road, King Road, and First Road will be utilized as a route around the construction.
Commissioner Kurt Garner noted that the area doesn’t carry much traffic so the proposed detour should not be an issue.
The commissioners unanimously approved the request. The culvert work is expected to be complete on Friday, May 26.
Road Work Creating Resident Complaints
The Marshall County Highway Department began work on roads this week and the action has already caused a stir on social media.
Many residents are complaining about the quality of the product being installed and the fact that some roads are going back to a gravel state.
Highway Department Presents Asset Management Plan to Commissioners
Marshall County Highway Supervisor Jason Peters presented the department’s asset management plan to the commissioners Monday morning.
The list he gave the governing body are the roads that need to be reclaimed. He explained that the roads will be ground up with the hopes of surfacing the roads in the next two to five years. Resurfacing will depend on funding, according to Peters.
More Funding Cuts to Highway Department Budget
The Marshall County Highway Department will need to find ways to cut additional funds from its operating budget this year.
The county council received word that the Department of Local Government Finance made the decision to reduce $23,406 from the highway department’s budget. The initial decision on how to make those cuts fell on the county council, but Councilwoman Penny Lukenbill urged the governing body to allow Highway Administrator Laurie Baker and Highway Supervisor Jason Peters to make those funding reductions as they see fit. The council will review those cuts at their May meeting after they are advertised.
Marshall Commissioners Proceed with Paver Purchase
Marshall County is moving ahead with the purchase of a $308,000 paver for the highway department. Caterpillar submitted the lower of the two bids the county received. Continue reading
Marshall County Commissioners Updated on Hickory Road Bridge Replacement
The Hickory Road bridge replacement is moving closer to getting underway. Continue reading
Marshall County Updates Prepayment Policies, Ordinance Violation Bureau
Marshall County has updated its prepayment policies to make it easier for the county’s Highway Department to pay the local share of matching grants. Continue reading
Marshall County Commissioners to Meet Tuesday
The Marshall County Commissioners will not meet today as the county employees will observe Martin Luther King, Jr. Day.
When they meet tomorrow, the highway department heads will have updates on the wetland mitigation issue and the mill pond dam. Highway Administrator Laurie Baker and Supervisor of County Highways Jason Peters will also have pug mill estimates and bid specifications for a loader.
Bart Trester from USI Consultants will present a fiber-optic conduit certification of completion for Glen Overmyer Drive in connection with the Metronet project. Curt Fey from Legal Shield will have a presentation and the commissioners will discuss the 2015 covered bridge certification.
