Kosciusko County Council on Nov. 14 approved transfers from road materials accounts to cover immediate needs for stone, gravel and shop supplies and authorized county staff to apply for a federal 80/20 bridge-replacement grant for a bridge on County Road 287 just north of U.S. 30.

The transfers: County Highway Superintendent Steve Moriarty asked to move $50,000 from the county’s calcium chloride/salt account into a county garage supply account to purchase stone, gravel and other aggregates; council members approved the transfer. Moriarty then asked to move another $50,000 from the same road materials account into LRS repairs and maintenance for the shop; that motion also carried.

The bridge grant: Moriarty told the council the federal grant would be an 80/20 program to replace the bridge on County Road 287; he gave a project total of roughly $3,000,161 and said the county’s 20% share would be about $649,000 if the grant is awarded. He said a financial-commitment letter would use funds from the Cuman Bridge account and that the project is projected for 2029 if awarded. The council voted to approve submitting the grant application and signing the required financial-commitment letter if needed.

Why it matters: The approved transfers move existing highway funds to cover current operational and maintenance needs. The bridge project, if funded, would require local matching dollars and multi-year planning.

Details and next steps: Moriarty said the county’s portion would be $649,000 “if we get the grant,” and that the grant schedule shows work projected in 2029. The financial-commitment letter will be signed by county officials after council authorization. The council did not take a separate vote committing the county to spend the match now; the motion approved applying for the grant and signing the required paperwork to pursue it.

No public opposition or alternate funding sources were recorded in the transcript.