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Council approves $29,811 Bike Trail design appropriation amid questions over maintenance use
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Summary
The Steuben County Council voted 5–2 on March 10 to appropriate $29,811.53 in remaining Bike Trail Design grant funds into the 2020 budget after two members raised concerns that the money might be used for maintenance rather than design.
On March 10, 2020, Highway Engineer Jennifer Sharkey asked the Steuben County Council to appropriate $29,811.53 in remaining Bike Trail Design grant funds from 2019 for encumbrance into the 2020 budget.
Sharkey provided a brief explanation by email; Council members Wil Howard and Dan Caruso questioned whether the remaining funds would be used for maintenance rather than design and requested more detailed information before approving the appropriation. President Richard Shipe noted there was a motion and second on the floor and called for a vote. The motion to appropriate the remaining Bike Trail Design funds passed 5–2, with Caruso and Howard voting no.
The appropriation was recorded as Bike Trail Design 8106‑000‑3000.01 in the minutes. No further detail was provided at the meeting about the specific planned design expenditures or the maintenance concerns requested by the two dissenting members. The council did not delay the vote; the members opposing the motion asked for more information but still voted against the appropriation.
Next step: highway staff will proceed with the appropriation and any encumbrance; council members who requested additional information did not specify a follow‑up date at the meeting.