Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Infrastructure topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Commissioners approve upfront payment for temporary Keeler Creek bridge; state to reimburse
Summary
The board authorized use of PILT funds to pay for a temporary Keeler Creek bridge after state officials agreed to reimburse the county; work will begin once the county pays the contractor and reimbursements are expected within weeks.
The Lincoln County Board of Commissioners voted March 25 to authorize using Payment in Lieu of Taxes (PILT) funds to pay upfront for a temporary Keeler Creek bridge after the state agreed to fund the project.
Commissioner Jim told the board that he, Emergency Management director Boyd White, road foreman DJ Welch and floodplain administrator Jesse Hag met with state officials, who "said they would fund the bridge." Jim said county staff will pay the contractor up front and place the funds into the emergency fund while awaiting reimbursement: "we could take it out of Pilt and then they would reimburse us," he said, and estimated reimbursement would arrive "within a couple three four weeks." The board voted to approve using PILT funds to start the project.
County staff said the contractor has signaled readiness to begin; the board instructed staff to proceed with contracting and to track reimbursements. Commissioners also discussed that much of the emergency fund had already been spent responding to earlier contracting and overtime costs and said any shortfall would be covered from county reserves.
The next procedural step is for county staff to finalize the contract and begin work; the board did not set a separate follow‑up vote on the funding mechanism.
