The Cole County Commission has approved the recommendations of the county Road and Bridge Advisory Committee for the half-cent capital improvements sales tax, which county voters will be asked to approve for another five years.
The road and bridge projects accounting for 85 percent of the proposed tax for 2017-21, would total $26.35 million. That marks an increase of more than $22.1 million for the tax from 2012-16. Adding in $4.65 million for county facility and equipment improvements in 2017-21 would bring the total expenditures for sales tax funds to $31 million, a $5 million jump over the previous span.
Mount Hope Road and Waterford Road, both gravel roads, meet the traffic counts for upgrades in the recommendations.
The money for major thoroughfares would include the continuation of upgrades along Business 50 to the St. Martins city limits, funding for potential projects like curb and guttering on Rainbow Drive as well as work on Militia Drive and Liberty Road.
Money for cooperative projects was increased for the seven villages in the county. The communities would get $100,000 each to do overlay work, but another $800,000 is included for cooperative projects.
The resurfacing/concrete street replacement category saw an increase because public works officials see an increase in the need to do preventive maintenance on county roads.
The money for stormwater improvements was increased after seeing an increase in that work during this current sales tax cycle.
The amount for the cooperative projects with Jefferson City stayed the same.
Facility and equipment improvements, which make up the last 15 percent of the sales tax funds, were determined by the County Commission. A total of $4.65 million will be divided as follows:
•$2 million for facility modification and renovation,
•$850,000 for facility maintenance and updates,
•$900,000 for computerization,
•$300,000 for capital equipment,
•$100,000 for parks and
•$500,000 in contingency.
Last week, commissioners approved the group that will be campaigning for approval of the measure. It's made up of chairs Lori Hoelscher, Roger Schwartze and Brad Bates along with Treasurer Ron Medin.
The commission cannot put any county funds toward efforts to approve the measure, but can give public support to the campaign.
Ballot language must be finalized by Jan. 26.
The measure will be on the April 5 ballot.