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County OKs aid for bridges, culverts in five townships
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MONROE - Amounts requested for county aid for bridge and culvert construction in Green County townships have been significantly low for the past three years, compared to 2011 and 2010.

The County Board of Supervisors voted unanimously Tuesday, Jan. 14, to approve aid totaling about $3,900, which is the county's 10 percent share, for six projects in Clarno, Exeter, Jefferson, Sylvester and York townships during 2013. The local town governments pay 10 percent, while federal aid contributes 80 percent.

County Supervisor Harvey Mandel, vice-chair of the Green County Highway Committee, said a lot of township projects are "being stretched out," because state aid is falling.

According to Highway Commissioner Jeff Wunschel, York Township's request for about $1,000 in county aid is just for the design cost of a bridge project on Poplar Grove Road. The actual construction is not being scheduled until 2015.

A 36-inch culvert on Carla Drive in Exeter Township was replaced in 2013, Wunschel added. The town sought about $1,400 in county aid.

A culvert was also replaced in 2013 on Greenbush Road in Sylvester Township, according to the township's 1st Supervisor, Terry Reed. Sylvester sought $950 in county aid.

Three other projects, two on Five Corner Road and one on Patterson Road, received county aid for under $400 each.

In 2010, county aid totaled $58,400 for 16 projects in 11 townships. In 2011, the county provided more than $27,000 in aid for eight projects in six townships. In 2012, the county aid requests were down to $4,200 in three townships. Only two townships requested aid in 2013, for a total of $400.

In the past four years, three projects spanned two years of aid request, and one project - on Elmer Road in Brooklyn Township - spanned three years. County aid for Elmer Road was $17,200 in 2011, $3,000 in 2012 and $350 in 2013. Elmer Road also received $3,200 in 2010.