Montgomery County solidifies plans to move forward with an application for a federal grant to cover the costs of a major road project planned near the Bartlett soybean plant.
At Monday's County Commission meeting, County Administrator Jonathan Booe informed commissioners about the process for reapplying for a Better Utilizing Investments to Leverage Development or BUILD grant. The project would pave the current gravel roads near the soybean crushing facility, connect County Roads 4400 and 5300, and create truck entrances along US-160 and County Road 4400. Montgomery County applied for the grant in 2025 but did not receive the funds. Booe says the amount the county will apply for has increased due to inflation and other rising costs.
On the last application, Montgomery County would have had to cover around $170,000 of the total cost of the project. However, Booe says this time, the county could apply for a grant to pay the entire $18 million.
The county expects to know sometime this spring if the application is approved.
