Warren County Commissioners voted 2-1 Thursday to sign a settlement agreement that is expected to end a stalemate among four government entities and other parties on the future of Augusta Bottom Road.The agreement states that four governments — Warren County, St. Charles County, Washington and Augusta — will each provide funds totaling $80,000 to have guardrails erected in the area known as the Augusta Parkway. In addition, Warren County will assume ownership of the portion known as the Parkway.In the event a flood would destroy the levee road over the next 10 years, no repairs would be made unless funding was made available through FEMA.The agreement is contingent upon the dismissal of a wrongful death lawsuit filed by the parents of a 16-year-old Washington girl following a fatal crash on Augusta Bottom Road in October 2010.Presiding Commissioner Roger Mauzy and Northern District Commissioner Dan Hampson voted in support of the agreement. Southern District Commissioner Hubie Kluesner had the lone dissenting vote.Other parties listed in the agreement were St. Charles County, Augusta, Washington, Kessler Farms, Inc., Beatrice R. Kessler Trust, Kathryn Kessler, Diane Kessler, Thomas Kessler, David Neier and Dawn Tucker. It was unknown if any of the other parties had already approved the agreement.Augusta Bottom Road has been a hot topic for decades and the interest was renewed following the crash that killed Ella Neier. It is located in southeastern Warren County and is primarily used by motorists traveling to and from St. Charles County and Washington.The portion of the road in Warren County is gravel, while the St. Charles County section is paved with asphalt.Augusta Bottom Road remains open and is used on a daily basis by motorists, though signs are posted stating that a portion of it is closed.Prior to Thursday's action by commissioners, the county has long stated it would only maintain the portion of Augusta Bottom Road between Augusta Parkway and Highway 47. It said Augusta Parkway was under the jurisdiction of Augusta, which received a federal grant to repair it after it was washed out by the 1993 Missouri River flood.Neier was killed when the car she was driving traveled off Augusta Bottom Road, in the section of Augusta Parkway, and into a large pool of water that was created by floodwaters.Neier's parents allege that the defendants failed to properly maintain and improve the roadway, leading to the fatal crash.For more on the story, see the May 28 issue of The Record.Agreement reached