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Commissioners, public discuss bonds, millage, gas tax and Benzie County model as ways to pay for road facility
Summary
At a March 26 special meeting, board members and residents discussed a range of funding options for the proposed Road Commission building — including millage, bond financing, using gas tax receipts and a model used in Benzie County — and asked the Road Commission for clearer cost alternatives before any ballot measure.
The meeting featured extended discussion of how to pay for a proposed Road Commission facility. Commissioner David Comai and others urged looking beyond a taxpayer millage and referenced a method used by Benzie County as one possible model; Commissioner Robert Baldwin noted current funding avenues and said a full rebuild of all county roads would cost "$88,000.000.00" as described in the meeting, a figure used to illustrate scale.
Karen Mackenzie, a resident, suggested using a disclosed $2.6 million in gas tax revenue and allocating $1 million per year toward the building as one way to reduce the amount sought from property taxpayers. Road Commissioner Mike Cox and others flagged long‑term underfunding of county roads and the role of logging and gas companies in accelerating road wear, emphasizing that funding choices affect service levels and repair schedules.
The board requested that the Road Commission return with more detailed funding scenarios, including lower‑cost project alternatives and possible financing instruments, before deciding whether to place a millage question before voters.
