V. Hugh Lewis II
Jefferson Jimplecute
In the nine months since Marion County started collecting the 1.5% Special District Sales Tax, they’ve collected over $314,000. The funds are to be split 80/20 between Road and Bridge and the Sheriff’s Office.
“This is money we’ve never had and had been leaving on the table for too many years,” said Marion County Judge Leward LaFleur. “I’ve encouraged the Commissioners to hold off spending any of the money this year so they have it next year. That way we’re spending money we’ve already collected and won’t have the risk of a shortfall.”
LaFleur went on to say that now the County will have additional funds to start making real progress on repairing the roads across the County.
Commissioners also saw increases across the board in Road and Bridge Supplies for the next year. The largest of which was Cracked Fuel Oil (Road Oil) which went up $40/ton to $682/ton delivered.
Iron Ore flexbase saw approximately $2/cubic yard increases and a $2 increase in base delivery charges. Hot and Cold Mix asphalt increased $14/ton to $98/ton or $115/ton delivered. Cold Oil Sand increased $13/ton to $88/ton and $103/ton delivered.
Fuel prices saw the only decrease proposed this year with Dyed Diesel dropping to $2.45/gallon, Clear Diesel and Unleaded Gasoline dropped to $2.76/gallon. The decreases averaged approximately $1 per gallon.
AlkLaTex Oil submitted the only bid for fuel; Seaton Construction provided the Flexbase Iron Ore bid; Longview Asphalt provided the asphalt bids; and Bryan and Bryan Asphalt provided the road oil bid. Commissioners unanimously accepted all the bids which are good through May 31, 2024.
In other road related business, Commissioners approved returning a road easement originally granted in 1962 to the adjacent land owner, John Reeves.
In other business, commissioners accepted a settlement of $6,601.74 in the Allergan Settlement portion of the Texas vs. Purdue Pharma Opioid case. There are five companies involved in the case and the County has previously accepted other settlements.
Lastly, Commissioners tabled approving the Marion Central Appraisal District’s 2024 Budget until their next meeting so more information could be obtained on the Mass Mailings and Professional Fees line items which saw the largest increase in the budget. Overall MCAD proposed a $37,820 increase in their annual budget.