Impact aid for county, 4-lane highway north topics of special meeting
The Jackson County Commissioners held a special meeting last Thursday with representatives from Hartwell Capitol Consulting and members of U.S. Sen. Roger Marshall’s staff to discuss the need to expand U.S Highway 75 north of Holton to four lanes.
The commissioners and those in attendance also discussed recouping funds from the federal government when property in the county is successfully reclaimed by the Prairie Band Potawatomi Nation, put into USA trust and taken off county property tax rolls.
In March, the commissioners signed a one-year contract with Hartwell Capital Consulting LLC of Lake Ridge, Va. to seek federal funds to compensate the county when county property is put into trust and the county can no longer collect property taxes on it.
Since then, the commissioners have asked the consulting firm to also look into securing funds to help expand the highway north of Holton to the Nebraska state line.
The county’s one-year contract with Hartwell is for $5,000 a month ($60,000 annually) and is being paid using American Rescue Plan Act federal funds.
Last Thursday, the commissioners and the representatives met for about five hours, which included touring various areas in the county.
The tour started in Holton, and the driver of the group’s vehicle had trouble entering the highway from Fifth Street due to traffic.
“It couldn’t have been any better if we’d had planned it because we sat there waiting for five minutes to get on U.S. 75,” Commissioner Mark Pruett said. “They were surprised by how many trucks were driving through, and we told then that’s the way it is every day.”
After visiting Banner Creek Reservoir, the group traveled north of Holton to the county line.
“It was really eye opening for them,” Commissioner Keith Kelly said. “It gave them the opportunity to see the amount of truck traffic we have.”
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