The Allen County Commissioners approved an amendment May 2 to a professional services agreement with Clark Dietz that increases the project fee by $25,300 for a culvert replacement on Nass Road, 0.18 miles east of State Road 37.

Bill Hartman of the Allen County Highway Department described design changes that prompted the amendment. The culvert’s original design included a headwall on the north side; staff said they are eliminating that headwall and extending the culvert to the north to reduce roadside hazards and improve traffic detour safety after a recent fatal accident on State Road 101. Hartman said the culvert is an old metal pipe installed in 1968 and showed photos indicating extensive rusting.

He detailed additional costs the department recorded during redesign and relocation work: about $6,000 for field survey, $15,000 for design and $3,500 for utility relocation; the amendment increases the Clark Dietz contract by $25,300 to cover those changes. When asked whether the project is purely county funded, Hartman replied, “Yes, sir. Yes. It is.”

A motion to approve the amendment was made, seconded and the board approved it by voice vote. The transcript does not record a roll-call tally.