Run over any potholes recently? Well, Boone County is creating a dedicated fund for road and other infrastructure improvements.
On Tuesday, the Boone County Fiscal Court passed a resolution creating a dedicated budgetary fund for countywide infrastructure improvements. It also restricts over $600,000 to be used only for infrastructure improvements.
“This is a way to make sure we have our arms exactly where these funds are committed to and dedicated for, then it will be this body that gets to decide what projects get funded,” said Boone County Judge/Executive Gary Moore.
Boone County Administrator Matthew Webster said the resolution accomplishes three goals:
- Restricting $607,558, which was in excess of the county’s budget for fiscal year 2025, specifically for road and infrastructure improvements as approved by the fiscal court.
- Authorizes the fiscal court to rename the Utility Infrastructure Fund to the Road and Infrastructure Fund.
- Combines three pots of budget money for a total of $1.89 million to be used for road and infrastructure improvements.
Other funding sources, such as grants and state and federal tax dollars, will be allowed to be invested in the fund.
Webster noted that Boone County Engineer Rob Franxman and his staff would present prospective projects to the fiscal court for approval. The fiscal court is responsible for final approval on what projects the fund money will be used for.
“We will identify projects we recommend and put them before the court and ask for you to approve them,” Webster said.
Webster clarified that they consider infrastructure projects to include pavement improvements, road lane additions, and expanding the county’s public water infrastructure.
Boone County resident Robert Cicero asked the fiscal court why public water infrastructure projects are included in the fund’s committed uses. In his opinion, the new fund was primarily marketed as a road improvement fund.
“The only reason why I ask is because normally when we have this discussion, I thought it was mainly about roads and those type of improvements,” Cicero said. “Of course, being a resident of the county, I’d like to see the roads continue to be improved – I don’t have a problem with expanding the water, I just don’t want to divert a lot of funds out of this into water expansion.”
Boone County is currently undertaking one of the largest rural water expansion projects in its history. Dubbed Rural Water 3.0, the project aims to expand reliable public water services to residents without access to waterlines. Webster said the fiscal court has appropriated around $18 million for Rural Water 3.0 thus far.
Moore said the newly created fund includes language regarding water infrastructure improvements because one of the three pots of money that were combined already finances water projects.
“The monies we’re talking about here are primarily for road infrastructure,” Moore said.
