County approves bridge funding trade

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by Patty Cheffey

In order to get the ball rolling on the bridge on County Road 402, the Marion County Commission approved a trade for BRO funds.

Approval was given for that trade during Monday’s meeting, at which they also requested approval to go in the hole to get that project going, reappointed the county health officer and signed a letter of agreement for the Local Emergency Planning Commission.

Commissioners signed a letter to Bob Manzke with the Missouri Department of Transportation, authorizing a trade from Marion County of $90,000 in soft match funds in exchange for $75,000 in BRO funds from Monroe County. 

Teya Stice, county improvement coordinator, also reported she had received information from MoDOT, explaining what steps would be needed in order for the county to get approval to go in the hole to fund a bridge replacement.

That included making a formal request to MoDOT to go in the hole, which Stice will do this week. If approval is given to do that, the county will advertise for bids for construction of the bridge.

According to Stice and Western District Commissioner Steve Begley, the county currently has $363,000 in BRO funds and with the funds from Monroe County, will have $438,000 in hard match. 

While that will not cover the engineer’s estimate for the total project, the price of which has gone up already because of the cost of supplies, the county will be able to go ahead and start the project if they are given permission to go in the hole.

In other bridge news, Stice said MoDOT will be contacting the commission during next Monday’s meeting to review the recent bridge inspections.

However, the county knows there will be one bridge on County Road 281 where the weight limit will be lowered, and one bridge on County Road 143, which is suggested for replacement.

In other business, the commissioners reappointed Jean McBride as the county health officer per Missouri statute 205.100.

They also signed a letter of agreement with Monroe, Ralls and Shelby counties per instructions from the Missouri Emergency Response Commission.

Stice said MERC has been cracking down recently on how the grant funds are being used, and a letter must be signed every year with the other counties.

Basically the letter states Marion County will receive the funds to distribute to all counties included the local emergency group.

She also noted the funds can no longer be used to send a representative to the State Emergency Management Agency conference.

Mike Schaefer, county highway supervisor, said applications are now being taken for dust control.

Anyone wishing to have dust control applied to the road in front of their property should contact the Highway Department to apply. 

Schaefer added application should start by the end of the month, weather permitting.