County hears updates on bridges, jail roof

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by Patty Cheffey

Marion County will not get a new bridge using state funding until 2026 at the earliest.

The Marion County Commission heard an update on bridges during their meeting Monday, at which they also discussed the roof at the jail and painting at the courthouse and approved a fund transfer.

Western District Commissioner Steve Begley reported he had learned a lack of funds through the state BRO program means Marion County will not get to build a bridge in 2025, and will have to wait another year to resubmit their request.

The county gets about $200,000 in hard match funds from the state and with the county’s soft match funds, they can continue to build bridges at no cost to the county.

The Wenneker bridge project is still good to go, he added.

Begley noted, however, the state will probably run out of hard match funds before the county uses all of its soft match funds.

In another matter, Begley reported the county will not learn until Nov. 1 if they have been approved for a grant to put lighting along a section of Veterans Road.

In her report, Teya Stice, county coordinator, said because Tournear has worked closely with the inspection company in the past, the inspector gives an automatic warranty on the work they have done, and that is the case for the Marion County jail roof.

The official inspection will be done in the future, she said, but in the meantime, the warranty has been guaranteed, and if any issues arise later, the company will fix the problems at no cost to the county.

Stice also reported on the painting at Palmyra Courthouse, noting the west side has been completed as has most of the north side.

Patriot Painting is hoping to have the work completed by winter, she said, and will be concentrating on the top of the building when they bring in the larger lift next week. 

Prior to that work being started, something will need to be done about the wasps in the bell tower, and the commissioners asked her to contact a pest control business to ask advice.

She also reported she is still waiting on the estimate for the Hannibal Courthouse hail roof damage repair.

The commissioners approved the transfer of funds from Capital Improvements to General Revenue in the amount of $625,000 for law enforcement. The transfer is done twice a year.

They also approved a flood plain buy out lease agreement from West Quincy Properties, LLC (Ted Siebers) for $25 a year for 10 years.

The property, Stice said, is basically a drive way to a business.

Commissioners also reviewed drawings for the subdivision north of County Road 266. 

Mike Schaefer, county highway supervisor, noted eight new driveways will connect up to that road once that development is completed.

The county also approved having new tiling installed in the elevator.