Board retroactively authorizes chair to sign letter supporting Marion RISE grant application

The board voted to approve and authorize the chair to sign a retroactive letter of support, dated Jan. 21, for the City of Marion's Tower Terrace Road Improvement application to the Rebuilding American Infrastructure with Sustainability and Equity (RISE) grant program.

A supervisor said Kim Downs, assistant city administrator of Marion, requested the letter and that the chair signed it before the board could formally consider it because of the grant deadline. The motion to approve the retroactive signature noted the letter does not obligate Linn County to provide funding and was a municipal letter of support for Marion's application. A supervisor also said the letter had been written for the previous administration and addressed the Department of Transportation secretary by title rather than by name; staff confirmed the letter contains no county fiscal commitment.

The board approved the retroactive authorization by voice vote with no recorded opposition. The letter will remain a nonbinding expression of support for Marion's RISE application and does not create a county match requirement.