The North Newton mayor as well as city administrator came to the Harvey County Commission to ask for funding for part of a bike and walking path project. The North Newton City Council, at last month’s meeting, approved asking the county for $20,000 to help pay for a bridge over Kidron Creek. The bridge would be part of a larger bike project that North Newton received a state grant to construct.
At Monday’s county commission meeting, North Newton Mayor Ron Braun told the commission North Newton wants to put in a foot bridge across the creek at a cost of $90,000. That is about $40,000 more than installing a low-water crossing on the creek. The North Newton Council thought to ask if the county might want to split the difference of the additional cost by providing funding to the project.
“There are several benefits the county might want to consider to warrant being a part of the investment,” Braun said, noting the project benefits the public and could be a good publicity opportunity for the county commission.
Initially, reception to the funding allocation from the commissioners seemed lukewarm at best.
(Read more: Newton Now)