Advertisement

They are going to borrow $297,540 from the Michigan Department of Transportation at the rate of 4% annually. The money includes the federal Critical Bridge Funding.

The federal funding will come in over a period of a few years but they need to spend the state Jobs Today funds this year or lose the money. The road commission will receive over $2 million in federal funds and $342,880 in state funds toward the Todd and Bay City-Forestville road projects and the Todd and Galbraith Line Bridge replacements.

The state is selling bonds to pay the 20-25% local match money on federal aid projects across the state. The legislation also calls for the state to borrow to pay for communities' federal share up front and pay it back as federal funds are received.

However, the state critical bridge funds are not allocated until 2009 and the federal funds obtained by Representative Candice Miller for the bridges will come in at the rate of 20% per year over five years.

"Are you pretty sure we will get that money?" asked Road Commissioner Donald Rickett.

"The only way we will not get it is if they do not get it from the federal government. It is going to be bid in two weeks. We are going to have those bridges," stated Engineer-Manager Robb Falls.

"They will not repossess them," added Accountant Joyce Hagan.

Road commissions and local communities have to pay interest on the federal portion and are responsible for the cost of the designs and inspections. The road commission also has to ante up the difference between current asphalt prices, which are about double prices from three years ago when they originally proposed the projects.

The road commission is also going to upgrade the Bay City-Forestville Road from M-19 east to Polk Road with Local Jobs Today funds, and is applying for the money to do another eight miles to continue the work to M-53.

Falls said the Todd Road and Galbraith Line Road bridges over the Black Creek will be bid May 4 and construction will likely start in June.

"We have got to have one open to traffic before they can do the other one. I would like them to do the Todd Road Bridge first so we can pave the road (sooner)," noted Falls.

They plan to do seven miles of reconstruction on Todd Road from Fisher Road to M-90.

In other business, the board discussed whether they can afford to let townships spend two years worth of local match money for paving in one year.

Last year the board began offering each township $25,000 in match money to pave or upgrade the asphalt on a township road in order to get more roads black-topped.

"Say we let two to four townships take next year's money and then in a couple months two or three want this year's money and we don't have itÉWe can't afford it if 26 townships come in and request next year's money," said Falls.

"Most of them have had their budget hearings and they know what they want to do. Marlette is the first one to come forward. It is going to have to be on an individual basis," stated Hagan.

They voted to give Marlette Township $50,000 this year to extend their paving project by one half mile to re-surface Butler Road from Lynd to Cotter roads. It will cost the township less overall to do the work all in one year.

They also discussed damage to roads in Evergreen Township caused by repetitive hauling operations.

Falls has met with members of the township and the State Police Motor Carrier officer, as well as members of the Huron County Road Commission, which has the same problem.

"There is no good resolution, it is very unclear what we can do," he reported.

"They are building them larger and larger and there is no end to it," said Vice-Chairman Ronald Gersternberger, referring to the large dairy farms in that part of the county.

"They are going to have to change legislation," added Chairman Harold Donaghy.

In late August the commissioners also discussed the dust problems caused by manure haulers from the big dairy farms, which do multiple runs over a period of days.

The road commissioners adopted two new policies on conflict of interest and fraud, and updated their travel policy and investment policy.