Special Road District Sets Budget; Looks At 2022 Overlays

By MARK EVANS

mevans@stegenherald.com

Members of the Special Road District A board of directors hammered out a 2022 budget and made a preliminary list of roads to overlay in 2022 at their Jan. 11 meeting.

On the income side of the budget, the line “financial institution tax” was bumped from $500 to $600, after the 2021 figure turned out to be $602. The anticipated road tax income, meanwhile, which was $103,476 last year, was raised from the $100,000 budgeted last year, to $105,000.

On the expense side, there were also a few changes. The line item for retirement was bumped from $10,000 to $12,000. The actual 2021 figure was $10,460. The annual Intuit payroll fee was $500 last year and was bumped to that same figure for this year. It had been budgeted at $450 a year ago.

Under supplies, the $6,800 budgeted for uniforms last year was lowered to $6,000, after last year’s actual figure came in at $5,544. Office supplies were upped from $300 to $350. Last year $980 was spent, thanks to a new computer being purchased.

Tubes/tires was dropped from $7,500 to $5,000, after just $3,824 was spent in 2021. Road Foreman Paul Bauman noted that two tires for the district’s 2008 tandem dump truck were bought, for $1,320 last year. He said they “should be set” for tires this year.

Last year $2,000 was budgeted for telephone expense, but only $1,630 spent. The figure was dropped to $1,500 for the 2022 budget.

Last year, $2,000 was budgeted for election expenses and fees, but none was actually spent. This year, $500 is being budgeted.

Health and life insurance was increased from $20,000 to $21,000, meanwhile, and worker’s compensation insurance from $8,700 to $10,000. In 2021, the district came out some $77,000 under budget.

OVERLAYS  CONSIDERED

“We don’t really have any new asphalt jobs that need to be done,” Chairman Paul Arnold said. Bauman agreed.

“I think it’s just mainly maintenance this year, and overlays,” he said.

Quarrytown Road is probably going to be the top priority. The newer part of the road is actually in worse shape.

About 1.5 to two miles needs overlayed. Arnold and Bauman agreed that this will be “a pretty good stretch” to pave, but that it needs to be done.

One small section in that stretch is in pretty good shape, but Bauman noted that, “With that amount of asphalt, there’s no need to skip over a whole section like that.”

In a month or two, the members will take a drive and check the roads before making a definite decision.