Overton Pursuing Highway Grant To Replace Aging Equipment

The Overton County Highway Department has been approved to apply for a $100,000 equipment grant.

The county would have to provide a 50 percent match if the application is approved. Highway Superintendent James Norrod said this is an opportunity to upgrade an aging fleet.

“Maybe another truck, we’ve been short on dump trucks and mowers,” Norrod said. “They’ve been getting some age on them and we’re trying to upgrade and replace them.”

Norrod said keeping the highway department equipment in good shape has become even more important after the severe weather seen earlier this year. County Executive Ben Danner said this was the first time the county heard of a grant to help purchase highway equipment, jumping on the opportunity.

“Found out from another county that the Development District had written a grant to buy highway equipment,” Danner said. “We had never seen a grant that would help purchase highway equipment and thought this was an opportunity to buy some equipment.”