TRAVERSE CITY -- Road commissioner Jim Maitland didn't want an advance peek at a list of more than $3 million worth of proposed road repairs in Grand Traverse County.
But East Bay Township Supervisor Glen Lile is anxious to learn what roads in his township make the list.
The road fix list will be presented to the Grand Traverse County Board of Commissioners at 5 p.m. today in the Governmental Center. The county board plans to borrow up to $3 million to fix county roads and split the repayment bill with the road commission.
Maitland said the road commission instructed employees to create a list of the most highly traveled roads in need of repair, then keep the list to themselves in an effort to fend off political requests and demands for service.
"We just want the worst roads fixed first," Maitland said.
The county board discussed borrowing up to $4 million, but the road commission determined it could cover debt payment on only half of $3 million.
The proposed loan would be for five years at about 3 percent interest.
Road commission officials predict it will be cheaper to do the projects now rather than spread them over five years because material costs rise faster than inflation.
Grand Traverse County Administrator Dennis Aloia wants to increase the loan by asking townships to fund up to 20 percent of the cost of road projects within their borders.
But Lile said East Bay Township doesn't have money for roads, especially the county's primary roads.
Primary roads connect destinations and are the most frequently used. The county road commission is responsible for funding primary roads.
"Why would the townships kick in for fixing primary roads," Lile said. "And if you do a couple of local roads, what would you tell the rest of the people who need their roads done?"
People who live on local roads generally pay for improvements to their road through a special property tax assessment.
Traverse City taxpayers will help pay the county's half of the debt, but city roads aren't included on the project list.
Instead, Aloia recommends the county board make an equitable appropriation to the city in matching road repair money.
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