County Commissioners Write State Senators About Road Funding
April 28, 2020 at 11:54 p.m.
County Commissioners Write State Senators About Road Funding
By David [email protected]
After County Administrator Marsha McSherry presented the letters to the commissioners to sign Tuesday, Commissioner Brad Jackson explained, “So, basically, we’re having – without going into too much depth – issues with the state allowing ... us to spend money like we need to. They give us enough money, but they don’t let us spend it where we need it, so we’re good in one category and short in another.”
He said he contacted Mishler and Doriot about it, and now the commissioners are sending the letters “to solidify things.”
Commissioner Cary Groninger said there are restricted and unrestricted funds and the restricted funds are “really limited” to what the county can spend the money on. A larger portion of the department’s budget is the unrestricted funding, but there isn’t enough money in that account to meet the county’s needs. The county needs to be able to move money from restricted to unrestricted.
A copy of the letter states that the commissioners “respectfully request review of the (Motor Vehicle Highway) Restricted Fund, specifically Section 63 of IC 8-14-1-4.” The letter explains that Indiana Code designates 50% of MVH revenues be deposited into the MVH restricted fund and the remainder be deposited into the MVH unrestricted fund. “Historically, highway departments have spent 30% of the revenue for restricted uses and 70% for unrestricted uses,” the letter continues.
“The current restrictions have created an excess of cash in our restricted fund and a shortfall of cash in our unrestricted fund. The current legislation has created a shortfall for payroll in the amount of $1.6 million, requiring an additional appropriation to be approved by the Council to meet the needs of the highway department. This has placed a financial hardship on the county that cannot be sustained in the coming budget years,” the letter states.
“Kosciusko County has used all the tools that are available to financially support the County Highway Department. The Wheel Tax has been a great source of revenue for the county, but it also has restrictions as to its uses. MVH funding is sufficient, however, we respectfully request your consideration in removing the 50/50 restrictions in the MVH funding,” the letter concludes.
In other business, the commissioners:
• Approved an ordinance reducing the speed limit on EMS B33 and B34 Lanes from 35 to 20 mph, as requested by Highway Superintendent Steve Moriarty.
• Approved an ordinance enforcing the 20 mph speed limit on Chapman Lake Drive, as requested by Moriarty. The speed limit is already posted but needed an ordinance in place to support the speed limit.
• Approved an ordinance to enforce the speed limit on T13B Lane, as requested by Moriarty. It’s already posted the speed limit is 20 mph on the dead-end road.
• Approved reducing the speed limit from 55 mph to 35 mph on CR 700E, starting where the town limits of Pierceton end and the county road begins. The speed limit of CR 700E in the town limits of Pierceton is 25 mph.
“We would like to make it 35, so that you go from 25 in the city limits to 35 in the county,” Moriarty said. “And it’s on 700E, just city limits to the cemetery.”
• Tabled a hearing for Wawasee Marina Inc.’s petition to vacate some public ways. It was due for public hearing on Tuesday, Area Plan Director Dan Richard said, but since the Area Plan Commission did not meet last month due to the COVID-19 restrictions, he requested the commissioners table the hearing until their May 26 meeting.
• Approved the Highway Department’s end-of-year report that gets submitted to LTAP (Local Technical Assistance Program) for the state to collect data, as requested by Moriarty.
• Read and approved a proclamation naming May as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, as requested by American Bikers Aimed Toward Education.
• Announced the next commissioners meeting is at 9 a.m. May 12.
After County Administrator Marsha McSherry presented the letters to the commissioners to sign Tuesday, Commissioner Brad Jackson explained, “So, basically, we’re having – without going into too much depth – issues with the state allowing ... us to spend money like we need to. They give us enough money, but they don’t let us spend it where we need it, so we’re good in one category and short in another.”
He said he contacted Mishler and Doriot about it, and now the commissioners are sending the letters “to solidify things.”
Commissioner Cary Groninger said there are restricted and unrestricted funds and the restricted funds are “really limited” to what the county can spend the money on. A larger portion of the department’s budget is the unrestricted funding, but there isn’t enough money in that account to meet the county’s needs. The county needs to be able to move money from restricted to unrestricted.
A copy of the letter states that the commissioners “respectfully request review of the (Motor Vehicle Highway) Restricted Fund, specifically Section 63 of IC 8-14-1-4.” The letter explains that Indiana Code designates 50% of MVH revenues be deposited into the MVH restricted fund and the remainder be deposited into the MVH unrestricted fund. “Historically, highway departments have spent 30% of the revenue for restricted uses and 70% for unrestricted uses,” the letter continues.
“The current restrictions have created an excess of cash in our restricted fund and a shortfall of cash in our unrestricted fund. The current legislation has created a shortfall for payroll in the amount of $1.6 million, requiring an additional appropriation to be approved by the Council to meet the needs of the highway department. This has placed a financial hardship on the county that cannot be sustained in the coming budget years,” the letter states.
“Kosciusko County has used all the tools that are available to financially support the County Highway Department. The Wheel Tax has been a great source of revenue for the county, but it also has restrictions as to its uses. MVH funding is sufficient, however, we respectfully request your consideration in removing the 50/50 restrictions in the MVH funding,” the letter concludes.
In other business, the commissioners:
• Approved an ordinance reducing the speed limit on EMS B33 and B34 Lanes from 35 to 20 mph, as requested by Highway Superintendent Steve Moriarty.
• Approved an ordinance enforcing the 20 mph speed limit on Chapman Lake Drive, as requested by Moriarty. The speed limit is already posted but needed an ordinance in place to support the speed limit.
• Approved an ordinance to enforce the speed limit on T13B Lane, as requested by Moriarty. It’s already posted the speed limit is 20 mph on the dead-end road.
• Approved reducing the speed limit from 55 mph to 35 mph on CR 700E, starting where the town limits of Pierceton end and the county road begins. The speed limit of CR 700E in the town limits of Pierceton is 25 mph.
“We would like to make it 35, so that you go from 25 in the city limits to 35 in the county,” Moriarty said. “And it’s on 700E, just city limits to the cemetery.”
• Tabled a hearing for Wawasee Marina Inc.’s petition to vacate some public ways. It was due for public hearing on Tuesday, Area Plan Director Dan Richard said, but since the Area Plan Commission did not meet last month due to the COVID-19 restrictions, he requested the commissioners table the hearing until their May 26 meeting.
• Approved the Highway Department’s end-of-year report that gets submitted to LTAP (Local Technical Assistance Program) for the state to collect data, as requested by Moriarty.
• Read and approved a proclamation naming May as Motorcycle Safety Awareness Month, as requested by American Bikers Aimed Toward Education.
• Announced the next commissioners meeting is at 9 a.m. May 12.
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