County engineer reports road, bridge and sign work; approves $743,983.51 final voucher for Milan overlay

County Engineer Justin Sorum delivered the highway department’s annual update, outlining staffing, maintenance operations, inspections and upcoming construction priorities.

Sorum said the highway department’s primary responsibilities are construction and maintenance of county and township roadways and bridges. He described staff structure, noting 24 full‑time maintenance employees plus contracted coverage with townships, a shop team, engineering technicians and seasonal helpers. The department purchased three new motor graders in 2025 and is evaluating smaller vehicle purchases for 2026.

On inspections and assets, Sorum said Clay County has 338 bridges in its inventory and inspected 291 this year; the department recently acquired a drone for inspection work and plans to certify technicians under FAA Part 107. He highlighted a new GIS‑based sign inventory that tracks MUTCD codes, condition and reflectivity sampling and said the county will gradually switch to the statutorily required blue‑and‑gold county route signs as sign life cycles permit.

Sorum reviewed 2025 maintenance and construction highlights (about 10 miles of paving, 25 miles of crack filling, multiple bridge repairs and in‑house concrete rehab). He noted funding sources: state aid (CASA), gas‑tax and wheelage distributions and federal BRS funding used for an identified bridge replacement ($886,000 federal BRS; $686,000 bridge bonding; about $160,000 CASA regular for that project).

The board specifically approved the final contract voucher for the Milan overlay project (SAP 014‑634‑031). Sorum said Central Specialties, Inc. completed the project ahead of schedule and the final amount presented was $743,983.51. The overage compared with initial bid was attributable to density and ride incentives, not plan‑quantity overruns. Commissioner Barry moved to approve the final voucher; Commissioner Campbell seconded and the motion carried.

Looking ahead, Sorum said the Cass 12 and 52 roundabout construction is expected to begin mid‑May with a target completion around Sept. 15, and that the schedule is designed to avoid peak beet‑harvest impacts. He also discussed an upcoming five‑year plan update, pavement testing and light equipment purchases for 2026.

The board had follow‑up questions about technician staffing levels and the potential impact on design and inspection capacity; Sorum said the county is actively recruiting and attending regional conferences to find candidates.