Living Roadway Trust Fund: What You Should KnowTrust funds are usually established for the purpose of shielding assets from probate costs or to reduce or eliminate tax liability on those assets. There are, however, some specialized forms of trust funds that are designed for very particular purposes. One such trust is the Iowa Living Roadway Trust Fund (LRTF). This fund is established and administered by the office of the Treasurer of State for the express purpose of developing and implementing integrated roadside vegetation management (IRVM) plans. Counties or cities can easily qualify for funds from this trust by simply adopting an IRVM plan. Merely conducting a roadside conditions inventory and acquiring wildflower seeds and prairie grass seeds for roadside planting will qualify a county or city for funds from the Living Roadway Trust Fund. Additional funds are available for those political subdivisions who also hire a roadside manager. Once that position is established, funds are released for such equipment as mulchers, GPS and software, brush choppers, chain saws, and all terrain vehicles. Funding for additional services and supplies such as seed harvesting and cleaning, herbicide application, erosion control and education materials are also included when a roadside manager is in place.
Once contracts are in place to deliver the available equipment and services, funds are released from the grantor account. The assets of the trust are intended to support the mission of the program. A county will first apply for the funds by filing an IRMV plan with the Iowa Department of Transportation. That application frees up four thousand five hundred dollars to pay for a roadside inventory of roadside vegetation conditions. Seed may then be obtained through the program for demonstration plantings. An IRVM steering committee comprised of soil and water professionals, educators, conservationists and farmers should be established to outline objectives.
There are many levels of participation in this sort of program. The Living Roadway Trust Fund can not pay for every expense; counties must usually find additional funds in order to take full advantage of this program. Some counties have a full time manager and a full time technician who handle only roadside vegetation issues. Other counties have only one employee who takes a personal interest in the project. At either extreme, or at any of the middle points, there are many advantages for a county that at least takes advantage of the available funds and services |