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Resident urges Miami County to explain why one-mile gravel stretch was skipped in chip-seal work
Summary
Gene Schubel of Mission Bellevue told commissioners July 9 that a one-mile section between 260 Third and 270 First was skipped during recent chip-seal work, causing persistent dust and pothole problems. Commissioners said they currently do not favor adding paved structure because of maintenance backlogs.
Gene Schubel, a resident of Mission Bellevue, told Miami County commissioners on July 9 that a one-mile segment of gravel road between 260 Third and 270 First was skipped when nearby streets received chip-seal work and asked why the county did not include the stretch in the project and whether it could be scheduled in a two- or five-year program.
"So the first thing you did, that top document you might look at there is to try to address the dust problem. I I gave the I gave the county $303,100 dollars to oil the road That lasted 2 weeks," Schubel said, reading from his materials and describing prior attempts to control dust. He said he hauled hot mix and hand-tamped potholes himself, and that the location of his property at the south end of a hill made repairs hazardous because vehicles approach at speed.
Schubel said he and neighbors have repeatedly requested work on that specific mile (identified on a map he provided) and that he had gathered signatures from neighbors asking for consideration. He also said he had recently spent about $1,500 for a sprayer and had invested roughly $4,000'$5,000 over time trying to control dust and protect property adjacent to the road.
During the public exchange, a county official asked whether mag chloride had been considered as a dust-control option. Schubel said he believes chip-seal is the best long-term solution but questioned why the one-mile gap was omitted when adjacent miles were chip-sealed.
A commissioner responded that the board and staff have been reluctant to add additional paved structure while the county remains behind on existing maintenance obligations. "I wouldn't be a fan of adding any additional infrastructure," an on-record commissioner said, explaining the county's concern that adding paved miles increases long-term maintenance obligations and could push the county further behind on asphalt repair work.
Schubel's remarks were recorded during the public-comment portion of the meeting; no formal motion or vote to change the county's paving plan was taken. Commissioners asked staff to look at the history of why that mile was omitted and noted a need to balance resident requests with available maintenance funding.
