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Riverscreen owner offers $500,000 toward $933,840 county road paving quote
Summary
Riverscreen owners told the Clay County Board the access road to their business is "in terrible shape" and that deliveries can reach 20 semis per day; a contractor quoted $933,840 for asphalt work and the owners offered $500,000 toward construction, but the board tabled the request for detailed cost estimates.
Chairman David M. Thurlow and the Clay County Board of Commissioners heard a request from Riverscreen owners about repairing the business access road during the Jan. 26 meeting.
Bob Wietharn told the board the road condition has deteriorated as freight traffic increased. "Sometimes up to 20 semi’s a day drive their road," he said, and added that some delivery drivers have refused to use the road because of its condition. Highway Administrator Bobby Shomper said the county has a contractor quote of $933,840 to lay asphalt—mostly a 6-inch mat with some 4-inch mat on a 24-foot-wide surface—but that the quote does not include the cost of a harder base or preparatory work such as ditch clearing and subgrade improvement.
Wietharn offered to contribute $500,000 toward the asphalt if the road is built to the 24-foot specification, saying Riverscreen "has never asked for any help from the County, but now ... he is now asking for help" because the road is affecting business operations. The board said it would need accurate prices for base and prep work before committing and tabled the matter for future consideration.
The discussion did not include a motion or vote to fund the project; county staff were directed to obtain full project estimates, including base and prep work, so the board can evaluate total cost and potential funding sources. No timeline was set for a return to the board on the request.
