JARRETT GOODMAN
Staff Writer
An appropriation of $500,000 for the Marion County Highway Department has been given the go ahead by members of the County Commission during last month’s annual meeting.
The agenda item was listed for the use of paving projects outside of item 189 of Capital Assets, which according to Mayor David Jackson, the amount would need to be included with July’s budget amendments to help provide the Highway Department with the funds needed to complete said paving projects. When asked by Commissioner Ruric Brandt as to how much the county previously provided Road Superintendent Cory Pickett for various paving projects in the past, Jackson stated no funds were given to Pickett or the Highway Department last year. However, $400,000 in funds were provided during the year prior, a $100,000 decrease in numbers compared to this year’s requested appropriation.
Pickett, both during the discussion and while interviewed, stated the Highway Department is to utilize the funds for projects spread across all five districts within Marion County. He detailed how one mile of road alone costs a total of $100,000 on average, which includes $3,000 in transportation costs for asphalt alone. He mentioned once the funds are added to July’s budget amendments work on any paving project within the county can begin in August this year.
“I’ll have to make it a budget amendment at the end of July to put that money in my line item. And when that happens, we start paving in August,” explained Pickett.
Motion for the appropriation was approved by all members of the County Commission, with the funds to now be used by the Highway Department for new and upcoming paving projects throughout the county once properly added into July’s budget amendments.
