(BEDFORD) – The Lawrence County Commissioners voted to have Strand Associates, of Columbus, to help the highway department and surveyor’s office address drainage issues on Bartlettsville Road.
Corey Allen, Lawrence County Surveyor says the issues are more than county officials can handle on their own.
“This is a bigger issue than we an address,” Allen said. “This affects several private landowners not only on Bartlettsville Road but Pleasant Run too. And we don’t have the right-of-ways on this road and there are fiber-optic lines in the area.”
Steven Ruble of Stands Associates says the firm will present several options on how to address the issue and spell out the scope of the project and will present them to the commissioners by January 21.
Strand’s services will cost the county $19,500 and will be paid out of next year’s budget.
In other business:
The commissioners voted to release the $10,000 surety bond posted by a septic system installer. The bond will be split between two residents where the contractor installed their systems incorrectly.
Brenda Cummings, Lawrence County Sanitarian of the Lawrence County Health Department, says the contractor’s license has been revoked and he has since filed bankruptcy.
“He did not install the system as required,” she added. “He was given the chance to make the work right and he failed to do that. We had to revoke his license and call up his bond.”
The property owners had to have their septic systems redone.
“The $5,000 each of them will receive will not cover the cost of the work that needed to be done to address the situation,” Cummings added.
Cummings also requested that County Attorney Dave Smith write a letter to another resident who is refusing to address a septic issue on her property.
“She has failed to address the issue or initiate any action,” Cummings added. “We have requested she vacate her property or to pump and haul the sewage away and she had failed to take any action.”
The commissioners voted to allow Smith to compose the letter.
Lawrence County Veterans Affairs Officer Brad Bough told the commissioners this morning about a few Veteran Day events.
At 11:11 a.m. on Nov. 11 American Legion Gillen Post 33 at 515 X Street will conduct a flag-raising ceremony and 21-gun salute. The public is welcome to attend.
Then at 2:30 p.m. Stonebridge Health Campus will be hosting a Veteran’s Day program honoring the veterans who live at the facility. After the program, they will be serving cake. The public is welcome to attend.
From 5 p.m. until 9 p.m. Golden Corral will provide a free meal to all vets.
The commissioners voted to appoint Alison Kern to serve on the Mitchell Community Public Libary Board. She will replace Vicky Schlegel.
Lawrence County Highway Superintendent David Holmes was unable to attend the meeting he was at a bridge conference. Commissioner President Dustin Gabhart presented the department report stating crews are finishing up paving projects and hauling sand for winter.
Bridge crews are installing culverts and doing bridge maintenance.
Lawrence County Emergency Management Director Valerie Luchauer said she is working with Lawrence County Solid Waste on updating the county’s debris management plan. The plan addresses issues of handling a large amount of debris after a natural disaster like a tornado.
Lawrence County Sheriff’s Department Major Gregg Taylor gave the commissioner the jail numbers. Sheriff Mike Branham was unable to attend the meeting.
On Tuesday morning there were 155 inmates in the Lawrence County Jail. Of those 128 were males, 27 were females and 7 Department of Correction holds and 9 Level 6 convicted felons.
