On August 13, Nathan King of the Missouri Department of Transportation attended a meeting with the Grundy County Commission for a bridge closeout review. King had recently inspected all bridges in Grundy County and provided the commission with a binder containing his findings. According to King, no major issues were identified during the inspections.
King noted that a bridge on Northeast 62nd Street had been closed and removed from inventory because it no longer meets the criteria to be considered a bridge. County Clerk Courtney Campbell clarified that the structure was replaced, resulting in no current bridge closures in the county.
King also informed the commission of changes at the state level regarding bridge inspections. Any bridge with a rating of three or below, or a fracture-critical bridge with a rating of four or below, is now required to undergo annual inspections. Bridge ratings range from zero to 10, with new bridges needing to be measured within 90 days of completion.
During the meeting, King requested that Grundy County Road and Bridge Supervisor Chris Ward address an issue on 115th Street, where the back wall of a bridge needs to be extended. Ward assured King that the repairs would be made as soon as possible and that he would notify King once the work was completed.
Ward also reported that he had recently completed repairs to the guardrail on the Charlie Dye Bridge and 80th Street.
In other business, Neil Jorgenson approached the commission to discuss concerns about his road, which he claimed had not been resurfaced with rock for more than three years. Jorgenson inquired about what could be done to improve the condition of the road.
Presiding Commissioner Phillip Ray explained that the commission has limited control over road maintenance as Grundy County operates under a township system. However, Ray assured Jorgenson that he would contact the township responsible for the road to convey the concern that the road poses a hazard.
Following the discussion, Ray contacted Adam Cooksey and provided him with a photograph of the road in question.
The commission also received a quarterly update from John Hickman of HIC Insurance. Hickman reported that previous billing concerns had been resolved, though a past due balance of $115 remained due to changes in the Beam system, which his office was not initially aware of. Hickman’s office has committed to paying the late fees associated with the issue.
A meeting was scheduled for October 1, during which Hickman will assist county employees in filling out health insurance applications to obtain quotes for the upcoming year. Hickman also plans to invite local pharmacies to participate in discussions regarding the insurance plans.
Additionally, Hickman inquired about the possibility of bidding out the Beam portion of the insurance this year, noting previous issues the county had encountered with the system.
