CCRC Projects Finishing Up, Plans Unfolding for 2027

By DIANNE ALWARD-BIERY

Cleaver Senior Staff Writer

HARRISON – Actions at the Sept. 1 meeting of the Clare County Road Commission began with the Financial Report offered by Kayla Randle, which included the beginning cash balance of $402,321.81; multiple source deposits totaling $1,185,307.41 as well as the three-part Accounts Payable, totaling $876,245.24 which left the ending Cash Balance at $711,383.98 – commissioners then approved the Accounts Payable report.

Public Comment was made by County Commissioner Gabe Ambrozaitis, informing of the next day’s special Board of Commissioners meeting to approve budget adjustments for the airport and the sheriff’s department, after which the budget would move into a two-week public comment period and be voted on Sept. 16.

Managing Director Dewayne Rogers reported on the new building, noting there had been some site work, and that the office and parking garage are fairly well complete. He said there was a meeting with the Health Department the previous week, and a consulting firm out of Mount Pleasant was being hired to help with the initial water testing. That testing will include lead and multiple chemicals along with line chlorination and flushing.

Rogers said the move-in permit was expected the following Friday for the office and parking garage. Later that same day, VC3 would be helping make sure all the computers can be hooked up. Completion/access to the service garage was expected to be another month out.

Currently, there is a plan to have an open house for employees and their families, Road Commission retirees and Commissioners, township and county officials, including food and a Touch-a-Truck in early October. There was discussion of whether to make that event a public open house, but that was not opted for at the current time.

It was also decided that the new driveway road which is being named in honor of longtime CCRC employee and board member Ed Haynack would be dedicated that same day.

New Business included unanimous passage of motions to:

-Approve the 2026 Safety Checks for employees (refund check was $69,429).

-Resolution to adopt the Corrective Action Plan PA 202.

The two prospective buyers were in attendance, and Rogers referenced their interest in purchasing the Warner Petroleum property at 2480 S. Clare Ave. This would include the building and six acres.

Rogers noted there had been discussion and agreement between himself and the Smiths, but that it was time for the commissioners to consider the terms which include price, a lot split by a survey company, as well as the described building and cleared property. Rogers said he was in contact with a real estate attorney who was working up the initial agreement.

Commissioners then chose to go into closed session to discuss the details.

Upon return to open session, Rogers informed of being in contact with Keweenaw County which is auctioning off all its chip seal equipment. He learned that the equipment was in good repair and being sold due to its lack of use not warranting garage space. After CCRC personnel made the long journey north to the Keweenaw [yes, the county that juts out into Lake Superior] and verifying that everything works, Rogers made an offer of $30,000 for four pieces of equipment. That includes a stone spreader, tack truck and a roller, plus another one he couldn’t readily recall.

When questioned about the value, Rogers said the equipment, if brand new, likely would run about $600,000.

“With this equipment, next year we should be able to our own chip seals,” he said. “And, in turn, if we make one deal with one township chip sealing some local roads, I think the equipment’s more than paid for.”

Commissioner Bill Simpson added that the bonus would be having the option to do that chip sealing on the CCRC’s own schedule. Nate Hulliberger, north road maintenance foreman, added that weather obstacles would not be a factor, as the CCRC would not be stuck to an outside contractor’s scheduling and if weather was inclement, the work could be halted.

Commissioners then moved to approve the purchase of the four pieces of chip seal equipment from Keweenaw County in the amount of $30,000 to come from the Equipment Budget.

A special meeting also was scheduled for 8 a.m. Tuesday, Sept. 29 for approval of the Act 51 Budget. Action on the proposed Warner property sale will be considered at that same meeting.

Staff and Maintenance Reports began with Nate Hulliberger, who listed the following projects and their states of completion:

Eberhart and Washington to be paved the next day, weather permitting; Mowing on state roads possibly for the next month; Adams Road stump removal; Forest Road culverts placement, with two miles done of three; Shoulder work for paving on M-61 for MDOT that week; Mowing on gravel roads was completed in the south, and was moving to the north part of the county; AMZ has wound down for the year; Brining is complete for the year with attention transitioning to readying equipment for winter.

Rogers noted that four box culvert sections had been poured for the only one of its kind in the country culvert, which he said should be done by the end of the month, placed on Strawberry and ready to pave. He also said more of the soybean oil would be used next year, and that $28,000 had been awarded by the Soybean Committee to do it. Another slag test spot will be done on Iola off Stockwell, as had been used on Ridge Road off Spikehorn. That was done two years ago and reportedly is working well.

Rogers noted having met and worked out a deal with Frost Township to pave Long Lake Road from Ball to Cornwell next spring. Another deal is to pave Clare Avenue from Long Lake to the Roscommon county line, with Frost Township’s participation.

Another agreement was made with Hamilton Township to pave two miles of Townline Lake Road east of Rogers next spring, as the township has to wait for collection of winter taxes. This will address the potholing on that road which had been treated with the AMZ process [asphalt emulsion spraying, followed by blowing in crushed aggregate].

Hulliberger also noted work being done on the dead end of Townline, adding that all the projects are going really well, and that he believed the CCRC would complete them all.

The Clare County Road Commission meets at 8 a.m. the first and third Tuesdays of the month.