County Engineer Susan Eugenis told commissioners multiple major road projects planned for this year were delayed and will carry into next year because of permitting and utility-relocation needs and timing of external reimbursements.

Eugenis said South Cloverdale is a roughly $7 million project with about $6 million expected from external sources; the county has spent a small portion to date and expects further spending as the project advances. She said the Allender Road bridge replacement — a grant-funded project — was awarded and that its grant-share calculation was adjusted during contracting. Tower Road bridge and Rock Creek culvert work were postponed after property-acquisition and permitting timelines stretched into winter; Eugenis said property-signing is imminent so that work can go to bid in January.

The Dike Road reconstruction project is estimated at about $5 million with roughly $1.6 million anticipated from the County Road Administration Board (CRAB); Eugenis described repeated rounds of Army Corps reviews and utility coordination that have delayed the project’s start.

Staff acknowledged unusually strong timber-tax receipts in the last two years, and county road-fund balances rose because several large projects budgeted for 2024 were not spent. Sean, a roads presenter, said timber taxes and property taxes are the road-fund’s two primary revenue sources and ARPA and grant reimbursements are key to capital spending.

Eugenis reported engineers performed an inspection of Barnes Drive after storm damage and said an on-site culvert appears to have failed; she said preliminary cleanup funding would likely come from FEMA and final project funding could rely on federal-highway funds pending eligibility. The county’s roads staff will send preliminary damage assessments to the state’s disaster-management office to seek eligibility for FEMA support.

Commissioners did not vote on capital projects during the meeting; staff said they expect to return with bid notices or budget amendments as property and permit issues are resolved.