By Melanie Stegner

News @pctribune.com

Pope County Engineer Brian Giese presented the five-year road improvement plan during this week’s Pope County board meeting. The plan included several tasks on portions of CSAH 22, 29 and 15 for the 2023 construction season; CSAH 15, 3, 17 and 8 for the 2024 season; CSAH 3, 1 and 14 for the 2025 season; CSAH 54, 18 and 21 for the 2026 season and CSAH 33 and 18 for the 2027 season. 

The current county road situation shows 60 percent of roads in good to very good condition, it was reported.  “By 2027, 50 percent of county roads will only be in fair condition,” stated Giese. Funding is an issue, and more investment is needed to keep quality roads in good condition, he added.

“Equipment and implements are not getting smaller, and the needs are not becoming less,” he added. Discussion continued on quality standards and annual investment to the road program. 

Depending on pending legal issues, CSAH 17 may not be able to be completed in 2024, Giese explained.   “It continues to deteriorate,” stated Giese. 

“It is only going to get worse the longer we have to wait,” added Pope County Commissioner Gordy Wagner. 

CSAH 8 is new to the list. It’s 20 years old and the surface is delaminating or stripping out and has continued to deteriorate. In some cases, bituminous is being plowed off the surface. “We want to try to prevent a situation where a mill and overlay won’t work,” added Giese. The board approved the 5-year plan unanimously.

An ad for bids for edge-line striping was approved to do six-inch edge lines for eligible roads. Bids will opened on March 28. 

Two tandem truck equipment purchases were made after board approval in March of 2022. The trucks are expected to be fully equipped and delivered to Pope County in August or September. Funds are adequate in the road and bridge fund to pay for both trucks without impact to other services.

The second appropriation for the purchase of the buildings adjacent to the Fremad building were requested.  The purchase of the Tom Buysse Building was for $100,402.74. The board approved unanimously.

The final draft of the Pope County Legislative Priorities includes providing local tax relief by increasing county program aid, assuring adequate funding for rural transportation infrastructure, protecting county-based purchasing, supporting SCORE grants and ending the general fund drain on the Solid Waste Management Tax, promoting childcare availability to benefit local families and economies, and to continue to support broadband for all funding, increasing PILT payments to county and preservation of local control related to cannabis licensure and land-use issues.

After the commissioners went through the monthly bills and fund balances, updates were given from the commissioners, administrator and attorney. County Attorney Neil Nelson shared information regarding some upcoming funding for counties and their corrections programs. He also discussed his experience at the Minnewaska Area Elementary School participating in the Parents Assisting Laker Students (PALS) program. “It was eye-opening. There is a lot going on and I had some really great experiences,” he mentioned. He also encouraged the commissioners get involved in the program.   The PALS program encourages parents and other trusted adults to volunteer on Wednesdays to serve as positive role models for more than 400 children who attend the school. The program aims to support students and deepen the connection between home life and school. PALS also accepts grandparents, aunts, uncles and other caregivers as volunteers. 

The meeting was adjourned after the commissioners gave their updates and discussed the upcoming winter storm. The courthouse  and non-emergency offices were closed last Thursday due to extreme weather and blizzard conditions.

The next meeting will be on Tuesday, March 7.