By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

From hauling wind farm supplies to bridges needing replacement to storing gravel, county commissions took up the subject of roads several times during Monday’s meeting.

Commissioners agreed to hire Kirkham Michaels Engineering to do haul route evaluation service for the Diamond Vista wind farm project. Under a road use and maintenance agreement between the county and the project developer, engineering work and any needed repairs to roads and bridges will be paid by the developers.

Andy Kraus, who said he had built 36 bridges in the county, has been talking with road and bridge superintendent Jesse Hamm about contracting with the county to build bridges.

“I’ve talked to Andy about firing up the team and having a couple of my employees help out,” Hamm said.

Commission chairman Randy Dalke said that was the way bridges were built when he first became a commissioner.

Commissioner Dianne Novak, however, voiced concern about liability if county employees were working under the direction of Kraus. Novak said she wanted to check into liability before making a decision.

Hamm said it’s an option he wants to consider before the 2018 budget.

Hamm also said he has been pricing hard gravel he believes should be stockpiled at various locations in the county to reduce hauling when roads are being graveled.