Grundy County highway panel approves $200,000 motor fuel tax transfer for 2026 and tables East Grand Ridge variance

Highway staff introduced a resolution appropriating $200,000 in Motor Fuel Tax (MFT) funds for labor and equipment rental for the 2026 year and recommended forwarding the measure to the full board. The item passed by voice vote.

"It's a budget each year. We've been doing $200,000 probably for the past 10 years," a highway staff member said, explaining the appropriation transfers MFT money into the local highway fund to cover crews27 labor and equipment hours.

The record shows the resolution was presented as a standard annual action that helps the local highway fund by allowing the county to charge MFT for time-and-materials-style road maintenance work. Staff said the appropriation is typically spent by March or April.

On highway old business, staff updated members about a variance request for property owner Danny Bullington on East Grand Ridge Road. Bullington and neighbors had appeared at the prior meeting; staff said they had received no follow-up from the parties. The board voted to table the variance one additional month to allow the neighbors time to coordinate.

Other highway items included issuance of a 50-foot shared driveway permit on Dresden Road, discussion of tree trimming in Braceville Township and a scheduled road commissioners meeting in November to address sign cleaning and other maintenance items.

The meeting packet also included claims; the chair noted one claim listed as 1,800,000.0 for deconstruction that had been signed and that claims were approved by voice vote.

What happened next: The MFT resolution will be forwarded to the full board as recommended. The variance for East Grand Ridge Road was tabled for one month for the applicants to provide an update to staff.