VALLEY GRANDE — In an effort to repave Rountree Drive in Valley Grande — a road that has been in disrepair for several years — the Valley Grande City Council is teaming up with the Dallas County Commission to discuss options.

Valley Grande Mayor Wayne Labbe explained to the council Monday that because the city was incorporated before the state established that cities, not counties, are responsible for road paving, it is the county’s responsibility to maintain the roads.

“If you incorporate a city today, any roads inside that incorporation, the city has to take care of,” Labbe said. “Since we were incorporated before the law changed, we were kind of grandfathered into it.”

And because road repair costs often creep into the hundreds of thousands, Labbe said it works out that the county is responsible for these projects. However, in order to receive money from the state to repave Rountree Drive, Labbe said the city and county must first prove that this is a well-traveled route.

“For them to actually go in and justify putting in a new road or doing maintenance to the new road, they have to determine how many vehicles travel that road,” he explained. “It’s not just cut and dry — there’s a process behind it all.”

The next step for Valley Grande, Labbe said, is to meet with Probate Judge Kim Ballard and Commissioner Roy Moore and figure out a way to receive enough money from the state to repave Roundtree Drive, which currently has several homes on either side.

Keeping strong communication between the council and commission is not only good for this specific project, Labbe said, but beneficial for Valley Grande as a city.

“I want a strong line of communication between us and the county commission,” Labbe said. “With their help, we can get more projects like this completed.”