Committee approves intermunicipal agreements with Warren and Washington counties for bridge work and inspection cost-share

The Public Workers Committee on Aug. 5 authorized two intermunicipal agreements related to bridge work. The first permits the county to perform limited earthwork and place stone fill on Warren County property connected to a scheduled bridge replacement; staff said state law prevents purchasing fee interest in property owned by another government and that an intermunicipal agreement is the appropriate mechanism. “We are unable to, as a governmental agency, to purchase a fee interest from property owned by another governmental agency. So the only way we could do that is through inter municipal agreement,” the staff member said. The Warren County agreement carries no direct cost to Saratoga County.

The second agreement establishes cost sharing with Washington County for the Dix Bridge, a pedestrian bridge that crosses from Saratoga County into Washington County. Staff said Washington County procured the inspection contract and Saratoga County’s share is $14,500; the committee approved an agreement to reimburse that share.

Both motions were moved, seconded and approved by voice vote. The Warren agreement allows chair signature to proceed with the bridge replacement work; the Washington agreement authorizes payment of the county’s inspection share.

Next steps: the chair will sign the Warren County intermunicipal agreement and staff will execute the cost-share payment to Washington County as invoiced.