Woodbury County approves $713,308.74 Elk Creek Road payment and transfers $714,000 into secondary roads

The Woodbury County Board of Supervisors on a unanimous vote approved payment of $713,308.74 to cover the county's share of phase 2 of the Elk Creek Road project and authorized a $714,000 transfer from the general basic fund to secondary roads to cover the expense.

Ryan Erickson, board administration, told the board that the county received the bill from the City of Sioux City for phase 2 and that prior board discussion in December 2022 had covered phase 1 but did not include phase 2 costs. "We received the bill a few months ago from the city of Sioux City for this amount on the Elk Creek Road construction," Erickson said, adding that phase 2 costs had not been budgeted and presenting options including using secondary roads funds, transferring from rural basic, or transferring from general basic.

Chair (speaking as the meeting chair) acknowledged that most current supervisors were not on the board when the earlier agreement was made and described the situation as a learning experience for the board. Erickson told supervisors he will include the transfer in upcoming budget amendment work and publish the required notices ahead of the budget hearing.

The board approved the transfer and payment by voice vote; the motion was recorded as passing unanimously. Supervisors discussed that funding the payment from secondary roads without a transfer would delay other projects, and Erickson said rural basic transfers of up to $4 million are an option but would substantially reduce that fund.

The board directed staff to include the change in the FY27 budget materials that will be published ahead of the April 28 budget hearing.