DeKalb County commissioners on Nov. 24 agreed to move forward with a draft contract with a private contributor for work on County Road 17 and to sign the agreed language, signaling the county’s plan to complete the job in 2026.

Resident advocate Brian Rothgeb asked the board to change contract language so the contractor would start in June rather than only be bound to a September completion date; he argued an earlier start would benefit the adjacent school district and make new subdivisions more marketable. The resident said a private funder — identified in meeting discussion as Westrick LLC — would supply material costs with the county supplying labor and equipment.

Highway superintendent Ben (Parker) said the department planned to prioritize the project in 2026 but could not guarantee an early start because of weather, winter damage and competing high‑priority road repairs. "We'll start as soon as we can," Parker said, adding that laying base stone early and incorporating the project into the county’s chip‑seal route would be his plan.

Commissioners debated compromise language: some favored leaving the contract date as ‘‘to be completed by September 2026,’’ while others supported specifying an earlier start window or stating the county would commence work when seasonal conditions allowed. After discussion, the commissioners voted to sign the contract with the agreed terms and authorized staff to send the finalized draft to the private funder for signature. Commissioners also asked the superintendent to prioritize the road in the 2026 schedule.

Next steps: County staff will exchange the signed contract with the private funder, the highway superintendent will include the project in the 2026 schedule and the county will proceed with material payment per the contract terms.