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Bridge Work Continues In Lawrence County

Last updated on Wednesday, September 25, 2013

(BEDFORD) - Lawrence County Project Manager Bob Dillon reported to the commissioners Tuesday morning that it will be 2 more weeks before work on bridge 55 on Leesville Road over Guthrie Creek will be complete.

Dillon was also given permission to seek bids on bridge 70 on Mount Pleasant Road.

The goal is to take the 3-section bridge, re-align the bridge and make it a one span bridge eliminating the piers that catch all kinds of debris.

The decking for the Otis Park bridge has been ordered, Dillon says and work should begin within two to three weeks.

Crews will chip and seal the decking which will add additional protection from the salt and brine highway crews use on snow covered roads.

Dillon says 99 percent of the damage done to the bridges is from the de-icing materials used on roadways.

In other business:

* The commissioners signed an INDOT agreement for 2-year-contract for bridge inspections.

* The commissioners approved an amendment to the Health Departments fee schedule which includes the cost of the vaccines and a 10 percent increase.

* The commissioners heard from Doug Conrad, representing Stone Crest Golf Community and Limestone Ventures, LLC, and the Attorney Greg Pittman asking to transfer the roads within the housing development to the county. The golf community, on 540 acres just west of State Road 37 on Bennett Lane, is about 10 minutes from Bedford and Bloomington.

Conrad says the residents had been notified about the change and the developers have been working to get the additions roads up to spec.

Pittman and County Attorney Dave Smith have been addressing the issues on who will maintain the right-of-ways, pay for and maintain the street lights, storm sewers and sewage treatment plant and the landscaping. Pittman told the commissioners the homeowners association has agreed to do that.

Commissioner Chris May says once all the roads are up to spec, then the commissioners will vote on accepting a deed of dedication which would allow the county to take over the roads.

He also stressed that once that was done those roads would be treated as any other county road, meaning golf carts would be prohibited.

* Emergency Management Director Valerie Luchauer presented the commissioners with an amendment to the county's 911 service agreement contract with AT&T. The commissioners approved the contract with AT&T months ago, but because it took AT&T so long to finalize the agreement, AT&T lowered their monthly price from $17,000 a month to $10,000 for the term of the 5-year contract.

* Sheriff Sam Craig reported there were 139 inmates at the jail, of those 30 were female and 10 were Department of Correction holds.

Craig reported the female population was at a maximum.

The also reported steps are continuing on the security updates at the courthouse.

"Security is costing this county a fortune," Commissioner Bill Spreen says. "As a society we need to get this meth use stopped and if we don't it is going to hit us in the pocketbook one of these days."

* Lorinda Youngcourt, chief public defender for Lawrence County requested the commissioners approve a contract with the Bedford Police Department for an alarm system at the public defenders office.

The system allows employees to push a panic button which will send officers in case an emergency incident happens in the building. The system is in response to upgrading security measures in the courthouse, probation department and other government offices.The cost would be $10 a month.

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