County Council approves funds for Community Crossing Matching Grant & additional paving projects

Thursday, January 16, 2025 at 2:00 AM

By Kathy Bottorff

Members of the Marshal County Council supported Highway Superintendent Jason Peters’ request for the local funds needed for the Community Crossing Matching Grant Program and additional paving.

He told the council that when he submits the Community Crossing Matching grant application, he must include a financial commitment letter from the county. Peters plans to apply for $1.5 million of federal funds, with the county’s local match being $500,000. The council only budgeted $400,000 in the 2025 Motor Vehicle Highway Fund for matching funds, leaving the highway short of matching grant funds. The highway superintendent said he has $86,236 remaining from the 2024 projects he can use, so he is only short $13,763 for the half-million match.

Peters said, “Based on the projects and estimates, I’m requesting support for up to $628,000, so my total request is $144,763.” Peters said the additional funds have allowed the highway department to hire the company doing the Community Crossing paving projects to do some additional paving near the grant projects.

The council unanimously agreed to give the $141,763 to cover the Community Crossing matching funds and the additional paving projects. When asked where the additional funds will come from, Council President Tim Harman said, “The General Fund is at $9.5ish right now. There’s money there.”