Funding OKed for Taylor siren

by Patty Cheffey

The Marion County Commission received paperwork to approve and sign notifying them the Federal Emergency management Agency has approved funding for the Marion County audible warning siren project.

The project, which is actually being headed up by the Palmyra Fire Protection District, will be in the Taylor area.

Also during Monday’s meeting, the commissioners gave an update on road conditions, heard an update on the soft match request and reviewed monthly balances.

According to the cover letter, the audible warning siren project is for the purchase and installation of one siren, which will be located on the west side of Highway 61 in Taylor.

The grant is $15,700, in federal funds, and covers 75 percent of the total cost for the project, which is estimated at $21,000. The remaining 25 percent of $5,250, is the responsibility of the fire protection district.

In other business, Commissioner Steve Begley updated those attending on roads throughout Marion County.

As the snow was dry, Begley said there was little work done on gravel roads over the weekend since it will not pack down and make those roads slick.

In addition, removing the amount of snow received on gravel roads would also mean removing the gravel, which Begley noted is not a good idea.

The county crews did concentrate their efforts on blacktop roads in the county since snow could become slick on those roads which are traveled more.

Begley also reported the county had equipment issues, including frozen fuel lines on a couple of graders.

In addition, one snowplow truck hit an expansion on a bridge, shearing off the plow. Work was being done Monday to repair that.

The commissioners also heard a report from Teya Stice, county improvement coordinator, concerning the county’s efforts to get BRO funds for some soft match trade.

While Stice said she had received a couple of calls, an error in an email which went out concerning the issues meant those who called thought the county wanted to trade BRO money for soft match funds, while the opposite is true.

Stice indicated she would continue to work on that as well as try to get the misinformation corrected.

She also reported the new corrected plat books were in and distributed those to the commissioners.

County Clerk Valerie Dornberger presented the commissioners with monthly budget balances, noting right now the county is in good shape.

The General Revenue Emergency Fund stands at $1,128,593.24, and Dornberger noted there are no more planned transfers for 2021.

The combined General Revenue and Road and Bridge funds stand at $3,087,206.10, which is an increase over last year’s January funds, which were $2,628,178.14.

Michele Nunemacher and Elaine Foreman were present at Monday’s meeting to visit with the commissioners about a training class they are taking.