Mitchell County board approves DOT program and budget, including $1.2M paving project

The Mitchell County Board of Supervisors voted April 28 to approve the county DOT program and budget after a detailed presentation from County Engineer Rich about planned road and bridge work over the next five years.

Rich told the board the DOT budget mirrors the county budget and outlined a proposed $1.5 million construction package that includes an estimated $1.2 million to pave 380th Street from Foothill to Balsam. He said the 380th Street work is likely to be a street overlay because the road lacks sufficient structure for cold‑in‑place recycling unless the county invests in a more costly full‑depth treatment.

"The budget is exactly the same as what the county budget is," Rich said, adding the county has allowed about $1 million for new equipment and has already approved purchases that account for more than $700,000 of that total. He also noted an error in the plans' tabulation worksheet that under‑listed tonnage in some bid items and said that correction will be made before work proceeds.

Rich reviewed a program map showing CHPP grant bridges slated for federal fiscal 27, a planned paving stretch from 218 north to Stacyville and a south‑end box culvert near Stacyville that shows settlement and design limitations dating to the 1920s. He cautioned the box culvert may not meet current oversize or all‑systems permit criteria and that timing for replacement or repair may affect paving schedules.

The engineer walked the board through five‑year projections for farm‑to‑market and bridge funds, flagging borrow‑ahead restrictions and a trade‑off in which repairing bridges reduces service area and, therefore, future formula funding. He said the projections look manageable through county fiscal year 30 under conservative assumptions but warned some future projects could exceed locally available funds.

After brief discussion about alternative funding options such as tax increment financing and carryover strategies, a motion to approve the DOT program and budget was made, seconded by Pam, and approved on roll call.

The board did not provide an itemized public vote tally in the transcript; the clerk recorded several 'aye' responses and the chair declared the motion passed. The board directed staff to proceed with planned lettings and to correct the bid worksheet quantity error before advertising projects.

Earlier in the meeting the sheriff and county attorney provided routine updates and there were brief closing announcements that a local employer, Regenerative Foods in Stacyville, hired 19 people and that Mitchell County will participate as a non‑voting, non‑member in a Central Iowa 28E arrangement while retaining meeting notices.

The board adjourned at 8:55 p.m.