Dodge County road committee narrows 2026 LRA list after $1.184M grant falls short of $2.495M estimate

Dodge County Manager Conner Bearden called a July 8, 2026, called meeting of the road committee to review the 2026 LRA road project after staff reported a funding shortfall. Bearden said $1.184 million in grant funds were available while the engineer's estimate for the proposed roads totaled $2.495 million, prompting the committee to align the project list with available dollars.

The committee prioritized the following LRA items for 2026: Ben Giddens (asphalt), estimated $620,324.82 for 2.95 miles in District 1; Pine Crest Drive (DST), $73,448.20 for 0.28 miles in District 1; Jessica Lane (DST), $165,692.02 for 0.45 miles in District 2; Arthur Cooper (DST), $50,282.44 for 0.17 miles in District 1; and Nicholson Carr Road (DST), $517,678.75 for 3.36 miles in District 2. The committee reviewed district assignments as part of prioritization.

Committee members discussed that the total engineer's estimate exceeded the available LRA grant and noted the possibility of using TSPLOST to fund projects that could not be covered by the grant. No formal vote or motion on a final prioritized list is recorded in the minutes; the record states the committee reviewed the list to align with available funding.

The meeting record shows Commissioners Sharon Cobb Flanagan (District 1) and Leigh Ann Greene (District 2) were present, along with Manager Conner Bearden; Clerk Kimberly Smith-Parkerson is listed as absent. The meeting adjourned at 4:48 p.m.