County will pay for Peabody streets
Staff reporter
In a special meeting Thursday morning, Marion County Commission decided it will assist the City of Peabody with a Peabody street project.
Previous discussions by the commission on Monday indicated the commission did not want to assist one city and not others in the same way.
By Thursday, the commission had had a change of heart and decided to pay $10,500 for the project.
Commissioner Randy Dallke said he and road and bridge superintendent Jim Herzet made a presentation Tuesday to Peabody City Council. The council wanted the project to include wider street widths than the county proposed. So the city will pay the different for the extra overlay.
"We can't help everybody (towns) in the same year but we'll be willing to look at other projects presented by cities," said commissioner Dan Holub.
Herzet said he would like the commission to update a 1973 resolution that assisted cities with roads that were connecting links.
Dallke wants the county to make contact with all cities and ask what is needed.
The county had funded overlay projects through the City of Lincolnville, and Industrial Road at Hillsboro. A policy needs to be set up to help cities, said Dallke, and set up in the county's budget.
Holub said the county can address the requests as they arise.
Commission chairman Bob Hein asked the other commissioners where the county will find $10,500 for the Peabody project.
County clerk Carol Maggard went through current charges for the county's road projects near Peabody. The construction company was charged for a total of 21 days at $1,000 a day because construction did not start within the required time period.
It was determined that there will be sufficient funds remaining in the capital improvement fund to cover the expense.
In other business:
— Transport fuel bids were awarded to Cardie Oil Company of Tampa for 5,500 gallons of diesel and 2,000 gallons of unleaded fuel. The total cost was $15,099, at an average price of $2.06 per gallon for diesel fuel, and $1.73 for unleaded.
Cooperative Grain and Supply of Hillsboro also presented a bid of $15,478 for the same quantities.
— Maggard reported containment areas were still in place in the basement of the courthouse where mold was removed. Typically, containment remains in place until reconstruction is completed but Maggard said the men's restroom needed to be reopened.
Repairs to the courthouse foundation needed to be made and the commission and Maggard weren't sure if making repairs to the interior was feasible before the foundation was addressed.
Maggard wasn't sure if foundation work could be completed in colder weather. She was instructed to contact architect Dan Hall and a restoration company for direction. She also was instructed to obtain bids for exterior and interior reconstruction. The work will affect landscaping, which could be temporarily moved.
— The commission reviewed the ballot for the special mail-in election.
Voters must sign the back of the return envelope for their votes to be counted and return by noon Dec. 22. Their signatures will be compared with the signatures on their voter registration cards.
