County bridge in good shape overall

PROTECTED CONTENT

If you’re a current subscriber, log in below. If you would like to subscribe, please click the subscribe tab above.

Username

Password

Login

Lost your password?

Username and Password Help

Please enter your email and we will send your username and password to you.

Email

Submit

← Back

by Patty Cheffey

Marion County Commissioners learned only one county bridge had been downgraded after hearing a report from MoDOT.

Joseph Haggard was present to review the recent bridge inspection report with the commissioners during Monday’s meeting, at which the commissioners also heard about planned courthouse repairs.

According to his report, Haggard said only one bridge had been downgraded from fair to poor because of deterioration on a column at the water level.

He added he had discussed possible repair work on that bridge with Mike Schaefer, county highway supervisor.

Of the county’s 104 bridges, three are closed with one getting replaced this year.

In addition, 10 are listed in poor condition, but despite that, Haggard said none are being recommended for closure.

He also noted 20 bridges are more than 50 years old, and five bridges have been built since 2013.

Of the 10 bridges rated poor, the commissioners noted four are in the works to be replaced within the next couple of years, which is good new/bad news.

“As we replace poor bridges, funding (from MoDOT) goes down,” said Western District Commissioners Steve Begley.

In other business, Teya Stice, county improvement coordinator, reported on several things at the Palmyra Courthouse.

Patriot Painting, which will be doing exterior painting at the courthouse starting in July, can paint the window sills in the upper part of the courthouse.

Although it shouldn’t take long to do the work, Stice said, the company does charge $100 an hour to do those types of repairs.

Stice also reported Reno Dry had been at the courthouse to do the yearly testing, and said many hours were much drier, although some areas were wetter.

That is to be expected, she said, as the program pulls down moisture.

New bulbs at a cost of $215 have been ordered to replace those in the rotunda, Stice said. 

The Edison style bulbs will be 40 watt equivalent but are LEDs.

Stice also reported the new light for the flag pole has been installed, but it is not hooked up to electricity yet. That will be done within the next couple of weeks.

In addition, she said she needs to register in order for the county to be able to receive federal grants, but that someone had changed their number, something, she said, which should not have been an easy thing to do.

Once she shows proof of the existing of the “County of Marion” and not “Marion County,” she should be able to change that number back.

The commissioners agreed to not repair the dents on the rotunda of the Hannibal Courthouse from a recent hail storm as they are not visible.

In addition, since it would probably cost over $60,000 to repair and since the courthouse deductible is $100,000, the commissioners did not feel it was necessary.

The commissioners also denied a request to pay their share of a second car for the Juvenile Justice Department as no car was budgeted. They recommended that department plan on budgeting for one next year.

Sheriff Jimmy Shinn and the Assessor’s Office will be paying for drinking water for their offices out of those offices’ budgets.

A question was raised last week as to why the General Revenue fund was paying for water in some offices.