Road department asks Polk County to reimburse $939,057 in grant match spending

A Polk County road-department representative told commissioners the county has spent about $939,057.30 in local match funds tied to roughly $9.1 million of completed grant projects and asked the commission to include that amount in the county budget.

The speaker said no new grant was being requested; rather, the request is to account for match money already spent that is not reflected in the current budget. "I'm asking for that amount," the road representative said, noting the figure to the penny and that the request is for money already expended as match on completed grants.

The representative described long-term maintenance needs, saying the county maintains a roughly 200‑mile maintenance deficit and currently averages about 11–12 miles of paving per year; reaching the backlog at current funding would take decades. He argued that using hot‑mix paving where possible extends longevity and reduces repeated patching costs.

Commissioners asked clarifying questions about the exact amount and whether the request sought full reimbursement or partial assistance; the road representative said the request was for the full match amount but that the county could consider any contribution up to 100%. Commissioners agreed to place road items on a committee agenda and to review the budget at the June 30 meeting.

What happens next: the commissioners will hold a road-committee meeting ahead of the June 30 budget meeting to review the request and associated road priorities.