North Hills City Councilman Fred Newberry appeared before the Wood County Commission on Monday to request $20,000 from the county to help build an access road. The commission is considering the request and wants an updated cost estimate on the project. (Photo by Brett Dunlap)

PARKERSBURG — The Wood County Commission is looking to approve funding to help the town of North Hills build an access road.

North Hills City Councilman Fred Newberry appeared before the commission on Monday as a followup to a meeting from March to request $20,000 from the commission to go towards the construction of a gravel access road that will be located from Twin Lakes Road into the North Ridge housing development.

In 2023, the town was directed to build an access road into the North Ridge homeowners sewer system due to a contract that was signed years ago which stated the town would maintain their sewer system, Newberry said.

“Since then, we have been in court working out the details such as an access road that the town must build, which the court ruled that North Ridge had to provide a way of access for the town to build the road,” he said. “We were wondering if there was any kind of funding.”

The quarter-mile road is estimated to cost around $45,000. The town has set aside $25,000 for the project.

“It is not going to be an elaborate road, just rock and whatever,” Newberry said. “It will be a path for the technicians to be able to get in and service the system.”

Newberry said they have had the appraisals and surveys done.

“We are ready to go,” he said.

The town got the price estimates two years ago and Newberry said the price could have gone up since.

“I am not sure you can ask for money unless you know exactly what you are talking about,” Commissioner Jimmy Colombo said.

Commission President Blair Couch wants the town of North Hills to get an updated cost estimate and return to the commission within a couple of weeks with a new job quote so they will have the most up-to-date numbers.

“We will put this on a future agenda,” Couch said. “This way we won’t give you too little.”

Commissioners said they were receptive to helping the town of North Hills.

The money would come out of the county’s Rainy Day Fund.

“North Hills is a great community,” Couch said.

The town of North Hills is scheduled to return before the commission on Monday, Nov. 3 at 9:45 a.m.

Brett Dunlap can be reached at bdunlap@newsandsentinel.com