County approves TIP

POMEROY-The Garfield County board of commissioners (BOCC) approved a 2023 annual construction program and a six year transportation improvements program (TIP), approved a final budget for 2023, and met with the county's Employee's Group at their meeting on December 5.

The board passed resolution 2022-30, to create the 2023 annual construction program and a six year transportation improvements program for the years 2023-2038. The six year plan identifies needed improvements to the county roads and creates a priority scale for them. The highest priority is a repair project on the Kirby-Mayview Road from mile marker 13.2 to 15.26, or from the dam cutoff to Bell Plain Road. This project will be funded by $2,860,000 of state funds through the County Road Administration Board (CRAB) and $319,000 of local funds. The project is expected to begin in 2023.

The next project on the list is repair of Kirby-Mayview Road from mile marker 21.3 to 25.2. This project is funded by $438,000 of federal Surface Transportation Block Grant Program (STP) and $2,278,382 of CRAB funds and is also scheduled to begin in 2023.

The third priority project is the Lower Deadman Safety Project, which entails guardrail and road work on the Lower Deadman Road from mile marker 10.23 to 11.91, or from the slue of 127 to Willow Gulch. This project is expected to begin in 2023 as well and is funded by $605,000 from the federal Highway Safety Improvement Program, $414,520 from STP, and $64,665 of local funding.

The following project listed on the plan is a safety improvement to Kirby-Mayview Road from mile post 25.1 to 30.4, or from Casey Creek to the dam. It is scheduled to begin work in 2023 and is funded by $1,553,084 from Western Federal Lands Transportation Improvement Program and $242,389 of local funding.

The final project on the six-year plan is a reconfiguration of the intersection of the Fairgrounds Road and Highway 12. The project is scheduled for 2027 and may be funded by $2,500,000 from STP and $500,000 of local funds.

The BOCC met with Garfield District Court Administrator Katie Magill, who presented the Employee's Group's acceptance of the board's proposal increasing salaries to 95% of the average of surrounding counties as determined by wage study or 6.5%, whichever comes first, and a 6.5% cost of living increase. The board also passed resolution 2022-31, the budget for 2023.