NEWS RELEASE

St. Louis County Public Works

Receives 15.7% increase in County State Highway Aid

St. Louis County is pleased to announce that the Public Works Department will receive a $2.7 million increase in its County State Aid Highway (CSAH) apportionment from the State of Minnesota for 2004, a 15.7 % increase over 2003. Due to work by the Public Works Administration and the County Board, the increased CSAH funds will result in the increase of $1.6 million for construction projects in the coming year. In addition, another $1.1 million will be set aside to offset other state aid reductions which would have resulted in the closure of four small garages and the layoff of 56 positions. Even with the additional state aid funding, the Public Works Department will be losing 21 positions over last year (5 layoffs and 16 positions eliminated through attrition).

"Iím pleased that the Public Works Department was able to convey to the Minnesota Department of Transportation how vital these funds are to the citizens of Northeastern Minnesota," said 6th Commissioner Keith Nelson, Chair of Public Works and Transportation. "With our immense infrastructure and a large geographic size, state support is essential," he said.

County Engineer and Public Works Director Marcus Hall concurred. "After a very difficult budget year, itís good to be laying off only five staff members, rather than the dozens first projected."

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