Olivia P Tucker
Times Reporter
Scott County Board of Commissioners agreed to enter into an interlocal agreement for chip seal equipment with Jefferson County at their regular meeting on May 1. That means the two counties will share in the cost to purchase the equipment and share the road preserving equipment’s use.
The commissioners plan on using American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) funding to purchase the chip seal equipment for the Scott County Highway Department.
The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 granted $1.9 trillion for the country’s recovery from the economic and health effects caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Commissioner President Mike Jones that the commissioners started last year receiving bids for the equipment to chip seal the roads, however, the price for the equipment has gone up each time. He said that they went to the council for approval of $750,000 and the Scott County Highway Department was turned down to purchase the equipment.
Jones said that the commissioners were being more lucid in how the equipment for road preservation can be purchased for less.
Jefferson County already owns one of the three pieces of equipment needed for chip seal and both counties would have to purchase the other two, he said.
Both Scott County and Jefferson Counties will be able to utilize the equipment for a few months out of the year but the cost to purchase the equipment is $350,000-$400,000 rather than the original $750,000.
“It’s not a question of about whether or not it’s a good idea or not, it’s where we got to be at,” Commissioner Randy Julian said,
County Attorney Zach Stewart said that he had written an agreement based on the needs that the Jefferson County Highway Department addressed but he had not spoken to the Jefferson County Attorney about the language used in the agreement.
The agreement between the two counties could be renewed, modified or extended yearly, said Stewart.
Commissioner Greg Prince said, “The goal, I think not only for us, for Scott County, the goal for Jefferson County is just try to come up with an agreement.”
Prince said that the agreement was a great start and that they were heading in the right direction in purchasing the equipment.
The Commissioners approved unanimously to enter the local agreement with Jefferson County contingent on the approval of the agreement. They also approved to appropriate funds not to exceed $410,000 to purchase the equipment with the use of federal ARPA funding.