By Sally Petty, Staff Writer
May 15, 2008 09:30 pm
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The Daviess County Council on Wednesday appropriated an extra $200,000 from riverboat gambling tax money to improve the county’s dilapidated gravel roads.
Highway Superintendent Larry McLin told the council his department has a shortfall in its blacktop road program since he has received a total of 5 percent less in his budget over the past three years from the state while fuel and materials prices continue to rise.
He said he has tried to improve money management at the department and has fewer employees, trucks and graders than in the past, but he still doesn’t have enough money to maintain the county’s current paved roads as he should.
One person has mentioned to the council that all Martin County’s road are paved, said councilman Ken Solliday, but many of their roads are very narrow, he added. Daviess County can’t afford to pave all its roads at an acceptable width or maintain them, even if the paving was donated.
The county would be better off not paving any more roads until they have to money to maintain them, he said.
“We need to get the rock roads up to where people can use them,” he said.
An extremely wet spring and heavy traffic have been devastating to the county’s gravel roads this year, especially in Barr Township, where many residents have home businesses, said McLin. Instead of being higher than the surrounding fields and capped so the water will run off, the roads have lowered and spread out, he explained.
“When you drive on a gravel road, beware,” he said.
However, he has managed to keep the paved roads from having potholes.
With the extra money, McLin wants to purchase more rock to put on the gravel roads. First, he will have his grader operators cut back the shoulders and pull old gravel out of the ditches to give the roads a proper foundation before putting down the new rock.
Highway Foreman Phil Cornelius said he estimated the $200,000 will only repair about 19 miles of gravel road, but those 19 miles could help a lot. Also, the extra money will help the Highway Department use its regular budget money for other roads, said McLin.
County Attorney Jeff Hayes mentioned the county cannot use property tax money for roads unless they declare an emergency; that is why they are using riverboat gambling tax money.
When the council voted to appropriate the money, they stipulated that McLin put the rock where he feels it is most needed.
In other road news, the Highway Department requested appropriations from the Cumulative Bridge Fund to repair four bridges.
Bridge 187 on Glendale Road and 175 on CR 350N both had guardrails knocked off, said McLin. He requested $5,000 for each of those bridges.
An abutment washed out at Bridge 76 on CR 450E south of Epsom, requiring $20,000 in repairs.
On Bridge 202, water scoured out underneath the supports, and the Highway Department needs to put down rip rap for $10,000.
The council approved the appropriations.
In other business
ASSESSOR
County Assessor Dennis Eaton told the council he feels the transition from township assessors to one centralized assessor will go smoothly. The biggest problems will be space and who to keep in his office, he said.
Also, as he takes over the assessors’ duties throughout the county, state law requires that he and one other person in his office take a series of classes to reach Level 3 status. The state is paying the $450 fee per person per class.
Current township assessors will be stripped of their powers except as trustees, but the council will have to pay them as assessors for the rest of the year, Eaton continued.
Eaton asked to meet with three council members as he prepares his budget for next year since the duties of his office will be changing so drastically. Mike Sprinkle, Solliday and Loretta Kendall agreed to meet with him.
PROPERTY TAXES
Auditor Gail Doades updated the council on the status of property tax bills, stating her office just received the budget order Tuesday afternoon. They are working as fast as they can to get through the process of calculating taxes so the bills can be mailed out.
APPOINTMENTS
The council appointed Jeannie Burks, Shelly Deem and Eric Moll to serve on the Daviess Community Hospital Board.
REAL ESTATE
On Monday the county commissioners signed an agreement to purchase a house from Sharon Keith and 210 N.E. Third St. for $60,000 from its budget. The council approved the purchase.
COURTHOUSE
The council approved $35,000 from the Cumulative Capital Development fund to pay for repairs at the courthouse where the roof and walls are leaking.
COMMUNITY
CORRECTIONS
The council appropriated $4,000 for professional contracts and $20,000 for a vehicle for the Community Corrections department. All the money came from the Community Corrections grant.
OTHER TRANSFERS
The council transferred $1,500 from clinic supplies to tuberculosis follow up x-rays within the Local Health Maintenance Budget.
County Health Department nurse Jane Norton said cases of tuberculosis in Daviess County are holding steady at about one or two a year.
The council also transferred $5,520 from county user fees to the pretrial diversion fund in the prosecutor’s budget.
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