Highway department: county to move municipal construction funds, authorize state-aid share for Nispah shop

Coonton County's Highway Department asked the board May 27 to move funds and approve project financing for a replacement maintenance shop and other items; the board granted the requests.

First, the board approved a resolution authorizing State Aid Finance to transfer excess municipal construction funds into the county's regular construction fund. Highway staff explained municipal construction funds can only be used on county state-aid routes within cities (population under 5,000) and that remaining balances above statutory caps can result in deductions the following year; transferring funds to the regular construction account preserves the dollars for countywide projects.

Second, the highway department presented two procurement items: authorization to purchase a TZ32000 large-format scanner/plotter and to accept a Loeffler quote for $12,144.49 (the board approved the Loeffler quote by voice vote; an E.O. Johnson quote of about $16,000 was also discussed). Both quotes included an $800 trade-in credit; the board recorded the purchase as a budgeted item.

Third, the board approved a resolution allowing county state aid construction funds to be used for replacement of the Nispah maintenance shop. Highway staff described the county's mileage breakdown used to calculate the state-aid share (254.25 miles of county state-aid highways and 67.03 miles of county roads) and said the allowable split for this project would be approximately 79% state aid and 21% local funding. Staff said site work is underway and that bids for well and sewer remain to be issued.

The motions passed by voice vote; no roll-call tallies were recorded in the meeting transcript.