The Road Commission for Oakland County (RCOC) Board of Road Commissioners recently announced that it will conduct a public hearing on its proposed fiscal year 2015 budget Thursday, Aug. 21, at 6:30 p.m. at the Oakland County Board of Commissioners Auditorium, 1200 N. Telegraph in Pontiac.
The proposed 2015 budget, at just over $100.8 million, includes plans for more than just over $48 million million worth of road improvement projects such as road widening, reconstruction or gravel road paving or work toward future road improvement projects; nearly $18.3 million for road maintenance efforts such as pothole patching, gravel road grading and salting and plowing in the winter; and nearly $9.6 million for maintaining traffic signs, signals, pavement markings and guardrails among other activities.
This proposed budget represents a decrease of about $7.2 million compared to the $108 million 2014 budget adopted in September of last year. The 2015 proposed budget is less than the 2014 budget primarily due to an anticipated decrease in federal road funding.
Federal funds are awarded on a project-by-project basis, and the amount RCOC receives tends to fluctuate from year to year. These funds cannot be used to maintain the county’s roads.
The RCOC fiscal year runs from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30. Final approval of the 2014 budget will take place in September.
RCOC Board Chairman Greg Jamian will preside over the budget hearing. During the hearing, RCOC Managing Director Dennis Kolar will provide an analysis of the proposed budget and the agency’s financial situation.
Deputy Managing Director/County Highway Engineer Gary Piotrowicz will review the proposed 2015 Road Improvement Program. The Board of Road Commissioners will then receive questions or comments from those in attendance.
Copies of the proposed 2015 budget and a complete list of projects proposed for 2015 will be available at the hearing.
About Sarah Hovis