BENTONVILLE -- Benton County officials will seek federal money for two bridge projects with an estimated cost of $715,000.
The county's Finance Committee on Tuesday approved a pair of resolutions authorizing the county's application for federal Surface Transportation Program-Attributable (STP-A) money to replace the Osage Creek Bridge and repair the War Eagle Bridge.
Mike Crandall, accounting manager, told the committee the county would have to cover part of the cost of each project, with the county's share of the $415,000 Osage Creek Bridge project being $83,000 and the county's share of the $300,000 War Eagle Bridge project put at $60,000.
Jeff Clark, the county's public services administrator who oversees the Road Department, told the committee the county won't know if the federal money is approved for several months. Clark said the projects would most likely be done in 2016.
The War Eagle Bridge repair generated some discussion as several justices of the peace quizzed Clark about the need for the repairs. Clark said some structural pins on the bridge need to be examined and that will require the decking be removed. Kurt Moore, justice of the peace for District 13, reminded the committee the bridge has had extensive repairs done in the last few years and asked Clark why the inspection hadn't been done at that time. Clark said he had no information as to why the work wasn't done.
"That blows my mind that there would be such an oversight on that," Moore said. "For this to be overlooked is almost unconscionable."
The committee also recommended spending $44,000 for the county's fall cleanup event, scheduled for Oct. 11. John Sudduth, the county's general services administrator, told the committee the county's spring cleanup had cost about $35,000. The justices of the peace discussed the cost and the value of the event before approving the request.
'I think doing this twice a year keeps the county a whole lot cleaner, Joel Jones, justice of the peace for District 7, said.
Moore said the justices of the peace needed to keep in mind the potential costs of not having the cleanup events.
"How much does it cost us to pick this stuff up off the side of the road?" Moore said. "I think what we spend is worth it."
The committee also recommended spending $98, 704 to waterproof the exterior of the Sheriff's Office building. Sudduth told the committee the waterproofing is the first step in resolving a problem with mold inside the walls of the building.
"This is just the tip of the iceberg," Moore said.
NW News on 09/03/2014