By Susan Redden

sredden@joplinglobe.com

CARTHAGE, Mo. — Plans for Jasper County’s first neighborhood project district were endorsed Thursday by the County Commission.

Commissioners accepted petitions signed by residents of an area near Carterville and asked the county prosecutor’s office to begin work on documents that would form the legal framework of the district.

The petitions were presented by Curt McCoy, a subdivision resident, who said the proposed district has the support of all the residents involved.

Jim Honey, Eastern District commissioner, said he had been working with residents on formation of a district, which would allow residents to tax themselves over a period of time to pay for subdivision projects such as road paving and storm sewers.

“The county will split the costs of road overlay, like we would on any other development,” he said. “The district is a way to address subdivisions where a developer has left without making the needed improvements.”

He said state law allows the districts to be created with the presentation of petitions signed by at least two thirds of the residents, or by a majority vote, if the issue is put on a ballot.

“Of course, in this case, they have signatures of support from everyone involved,” he said.

The proposed district includes about 15 homes in the Oak Glen Estates and surrounding area in the Lakeside Community near Carterville. Tri-State Engineering is estimating total costs of the paving, storm-water projects and other work at just over $145,000, with the county’s share at nearly $25,000.

Commissioners also agreed to work with Airport Drive on a culvert that was damaged in flooding earlier in the year. Clayton Christy, of Tri-State Engineering, who works with the county on road projects, said the culvert serves about 25 homes in a subdivision outside Airport Drive and is the only access for them, and emergency services, to that area.

“It’s already been damaged, and if we have another event like April, it might be gone,” he said.

Commissioners also heard from Richard Webster, county auditor, who said he will be distributing information by the end of the month so that officeholders and department heads can start work on the 2009 county budget.

He said budget preparations “will be challenging” because there is no growth in sales tax proceeds, which are the county’s largest revenue source, while fuel, energy and insurance costs are increasing.

In other action, commissioners raised the amount the county would reimburse a worker for use of his vehicle to 52 cents per mile, from the earlier rate of 45.5 cents.