By Tim SchmidtRecord Managing EditorWarren County commissioners rejected a suggestion of creating a taxing district to pay for improvements to Firetower Road.Leon McGee approached commissioners Monday to see whether or not they had any interest in taking over ownership of the private road. McGee serves as chairman of a road fund that property owners contribute to cover repairs. The annual fee for property owners is $250, McGee said.Firetower Road is located off Highway U, southwest of Warrenton.One option McGee proposed was whether a Neighborhood Improvement District (NID) could be established to help pay for upgrading the road to meet county specifications. The NID would assess a special tax to each property that would benefit to help generate funds to pay for the work.McGee estimated the NID would increase the annual fee currently paid by property owners on the road to three or four times the current amount.It’s estimated improvements would cost somewhere in the neighborhood of $200,000 to $500,000 according to officials.“Everybody wants to use the road, but no one wants to pay for it,” he said. “It is in very bad condition. We are looking at different options and solutions to repair it.”Northern District Commissioner Dan Hampson didn’t believe the county has ever had a NID in place and expressed concern if property owners fail to make payments.“It puts the county on the line for that if someone does not pay,” he remarked. “The county is responsible for all maintenance and paperwork for this project and collecting all that money. I lived in a subdivision and enjoyed the benefits of one, but that was then and this is now. We go to meetings and every county will tell you not to do one. I don’t see this going anywhere.”Southern District Commissioner Hubie Kluesner told McGee that liens could be placed on the properties that are not currently paying the annual road maintenance fee. He said the commission may be open to taking over ownership in the future if a solution on upgrading the road can be done without the county’s involvement.Commission closes out grant for planning projectAlso on Monday, a public hearing was held related to the completion of a  Community Development Block Grant project for disaster planning and recovery.A $91,680 grant had been awarded to allow Boonslick Regional Planning Commission to compile a report on planning for land use and recovery strategy. The report covered Warren, Montgomery and Lincoln counties.BRPC was contracted for the project. Warren County sponsored the grant application.Commissioners voted unanimously to authorizing the signing of closeout documents related to the grant.Commission opposes taxing district to fund improvements