Commissioners want engineering solutions for River Road project

How to handle the River Road, near Clearwater, will come down to engineering specifications.

Village officials and Clearwater residents were present, Sept. 10, when Antelope County Commissioners discussed the potential project.

Road superintendent Leigh Kluthe said he and Brian McDonald traveled the road last week to talk to about options for the three manholes in the stretch off Highway 275 to the first bridge.

Kluthe hasn't received McDonald's findings yet.

"He's directing everything back to the city engineers. He's concerned with us being the contractor and the liability the county will take on," Kluthe said.

Clearwater resident Curt Thiele asked why the road cannot be put back to asphalt.

Commissioner Casey Dittrich replied, "What was done before was by county board decision. It was well within the realm of equipment and personnel we had as a county."

Thiele asked if the millings could be brought back.

Commissioner Chairman Charlie Henery said village officials approved the county using the millings.

Clearwater Trustee Marsha Hart said the county and village need to get along.

"I have minutes from 2019 where Dittrich said 'we used to work with communities and villages with the roads.'"

Hart asked what is needed for an interlocal agreement between the two entities to come to fruition.

"Our engineer is willing to meet with Brian and Leigh," she said.

Dittrich said a meeting would be the first step.

"It's a delicate situation ... The water levels, the dike, the manhole covers are big," Dittrich said, adding that commissioners tell village officials "what they want to hear."

It's a reason why he asked McDonald for an opinion during the Sept. 3 commissioners' meeting.

"We're not trying to wiggle out of it. We're trying to get it engineered first. Then we can say if it's something we can or can't do," Dittrich said.

Hart asked if an interlocal agreement is necessary to start talks between engineers. Henery said he didn't think so.