Earlier this year, State of Illinois Department of Transportation funds intended for DeWitt County were frozen because of backed-up paperwork. 

Thursday night at the DeWitt County Board meeting, the Board was pressed for answers from concerned DeWitt County township highway officials, and Highway Engineer Mark Mathon offered an update on some of the things they were queried about.
Mark Cyrulik is unhappy that the County budget allocates $3 million to the highway budget, while small townships that are barely hanging on financially and struggling to pay their bills could have used that money.

Kim Gaffe is demanding answers from the County Board so this does not happen again. She feels better communication could have prevented some of the things the County's township highway departments ran into.

To the point of the County motor fuel tax balance, Mathon indicates that a sharing of that money across agencies is not permitted. So while $3-million is in that fund, it cannot be shared with other highway departments.

Mathon reminds the State of Illinois has released the motor fuel tax dollars to the County that were frozen about a year ago. Additionally, the Washington Street Bridge, which has been out of commission for a couple of years, is in the process of getting approval.

Also at the Thursday night meeting:

>>Tom Ferris was sworn onto the County Board to fulfill the unfinished term left when Kristina Deerwester resigned from the Board. 

>>The Board approved the contract with the County Highway Department union contract.

>>The Board approved the non-union hourly wage schedule for FY26.