Harsh winter puts HC engineers office over budget

MT. PLEASANT - A long, cold winter put the Henry County Engineer's office budget for now and ice control about 10 percent over their estimated budget.

At the Henry County Supervisors meeting on Tuesday, Aug. 20, Henry County Engineer Jake Hotchkiss said the county spent $235,851 on snow and ice control and $2,489,521 on roadway maintenance. The obligated balance as of June 30 was $938,138 and reported and end balance of the year of $1,738,148. The obligated balance is money dedicated to construction projects that are ongoing and the money has been dedicated for them in the previous fiscal year.

Hotchkiss said construction slowed down in the spring due to rain and unfavorable weather, but projects are getting completed as time and weather allows and he felt the financial carry over into the next fiscal year was constant with what the county has had in the past.

In other news, crews are continuing to work on construction projects and the rain on Tuesday morning was expected to put a damper on a couple of them. The W55 Franklin Avenue bridge was expected to have the concrete poured for the piers later Tuesday or Wednesday, weather permitting. The grading work is completed on both the north and south sides.

The J20 bridge project near Lowell has receiving false work for the slab bridge and the 260th Twin Box culvert repair, west of Benton Avenue, is being graded. The 260th grading project in Gibson park ha seen the majority of the dirt work completed and crews are finishing the west end and will place rock checks soon.

The next meeting of the Henry County Supervisors will be Tuesday, Aug. 27.