Staff writer
By the time Randy Eitzen came forward to express his thoughts to county commissioners Monday, his primary concern about the roads had already been addressed.
“I think it was a good decision not to raise the mill levy,” Eitzen said. “I think if everyone tries a little bit harder, like one of the ideas that was brought up was if a few of the farmers would help themselves on out a little bit like Mike’s been doing, things would probably be alright.”
Eitzen and Mike Beneke took advantage of the opportunity commissioners gave for public comments on recent developments in county road maintenance.
Eitzen asked commissioners why they were planning to fix the Canada-Peabody road when it was “in really good shape.”
Commission Chairman Dan Holub’s response was that it was being funded by a grant that specifically is for dangerous roads.
“That was a high-risk money road,” Holub said. “People were running off the sharp turn, and the only way to get that money is to fix something like that. It was for a specific purpose.”
Beneke then discussed with commissioners the condition of the roads near his house, and how he had hauled three loads of rock across the road, equaling around $500.
Beneke wanted to fix it so it was passable for frequent users of that road, which includes a couple teenagers.
“I don’t know if we’ve got to kill someone in the county before somebody takes it from a different aspect or a different angle,” Beneke said. “It’s up to you.”
While commissioners were appreciative of the work Beneke had done, Holub reminded him that his road wasn’t the only one with a problem.
“What you got an issue with,” Holub said, “all these other roads also have an issue. What do I do with all these other two, three, four, five hundred people who have the same problem?”
Commissioner Randy Dallke requested that the commission reimburse Mike $500 for all the gravel he laid down on his road, which was passed 3-0.
“I don’t know how many other people have done it,” Dallke said, “but I think there’s $500 worth of rock there, more than that if we had hauled it ourselves.”