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Commissioners Concerned About Property Photos Posted Online

Last updated on Wednesday, April 10, 2013

(BEDFORD) - Lawrence County Commissioner Bill Spreen has been approached by several council members and residents about property photos on the county’s 39 Degrees North, a geographic information systems.

Spreen has concerns that would-be criminals could look at photos taken by county assessors and posted on the site and see items they may want to steal.

"Anyone with a smart phone and is looking to steal say a four-wheeler can look at those photos see one sitting in an open garage or barn, sneak in during the night and take it," Spreen says. "I have several open buildings on my property and don't want people to see what's in them."

Chris Walls, of 39 Degrees North, says the photos could be removed from the program at no cost to the county.

But Walls says counties keep the photos posted so realtors and appraisers can view them.

Spreen then asked if the site could be password protected. Walls says that would only allow county employees assess and not the public.

The commissioners took the information under advisement and will decide at a later date if the photos should remain from the site.

Walls also update the commissioners on new things happening with the 39 Degrees program.

"Anyone who has an iPod or iPhone can now download our app free and use it for free," Walls says. "Then in June a new friendly version, with lots of changes will be out."

Walls says the old version will stay up for a while, so users can get use to the new version.

In other business:

Highway Superintendent Dave Holmes reported crews were cold patching roadway, adding stone to gravel roadways, replacing culverts and doing ditching in District 1.

"We have received some complaints from residents because the ditching is damaging some yards," Holmes says. "It is getting dirt in the roadways and taking the grass off, but it will grow back."

Holmes says the ditching is necessary because it keeps water off the roadways.

"Water is the death of roadways," Holmes says "It destroys the pavement, so we have to do this to preserve our county roads."

* County Project Director Bob Dillon says Dunn Bridge in Heltonville is down and crews are replacing the middle bridge pillar. The bridge replacement should be complete in May.

* Sheriff Sam Craig reported there were 126 inmates at the jail, of those 20 are women and 12 Department of Correction holds.

Craig says has permission to get rid of several governmental vehicles that are no longer operational and being stored at the highway garage.

"If we have the titles to them we can hold an auction," Craig says. "But the best thing to do according to the government is to have them scrapped and the money from that would go into the general fund."

* Emergency Management Director Valarie Luchauer reported there would be a severe weather class at the Tabernacle of Praise Church Monday night. She also presented the commissioners with a copy of the county's updated emergency management plan for their review.

* Economic Growth Council Director Gene McCrackin and Jim Richards, president of the Lawrence County Tourism Commission, introduced the new Director of Tourism Eric Marvin.

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