(BEDFORD) – The Lawrence County Commissioners praised Lawrence County Highway Superintendent David Holmes for his hard work in obtaining Master Road Builder status.
Earlier this month Holmes attended Road School in Indianapolis. He only has to obtain 22 hours to be a Master Road Builder. He should complete the required hours within the next two months.
Seeking Grant Funds
The commissioners granted permission for Chad Shew, director of Lawrence County Community Corrections and Nedra Brock Fleetwood to seek grants for the Lawrence County Probation Department and several of their programs.
The deadline to submit the grants is March 31.
Those sentenced to community corrections severed 2,999.25 hours in 2018 for a total labor cost savings of $21,744.56.
No county money is used to run the county’s community correction program and an estimated less than 25 percent is used to fund the probation department.
Fleetwood says of the 18 probation officers, only five salaries are paid with county funds. The salary of the rest is paid with grant funds.
Williams Covered Bridge
Tonya Chastain of Lawrence County Tourism requested permission to use the Williams Covered Bridge on September 14th from 8 a.m. until 9 p.m. to host a dinner.
Last year the group held a dinner inside the bridge as part of the county’s bicentennial celebration. More than 250 people attended the event.
Chastain thanked the bridge crew and community corrections for helping paint over graffiti and cleaning up the area last year before the event.
AT&T Completelink Contract
The commissioners renewed a two-year contract with AT&T Completelink to continue to provide fax lines not covered in the county’s telephone contract. There was no increase in price.
Sheriff’s Department
Sheriff Mike Branham reported there were 137 inmates in the jail this morning, of those 107 were males, 30 females, 12 Level 6 convicted felons, and 1 parole hold.
“That number is down considerably from last week when we were at 160,” he added.
Highway Department
Road crews have been replacing culverts and patching potholes with cold mix. Highway Superintendent David Holmes says he is hoping the asphalt plants open in the next few weeks so crews can begin paving projects.
County Attorney Dave Smith opened three paving bids this morning. Those bids were taken under advisement.
Bridge crews have been doing maintenance projects on county bridges and dislodging log rams and helping replace culverts.
Things are progressing in the design phase for Bridge 121 on Williams Silverville Road and Bridge 150 on Mill Creek Road which is in the federal aid program.
Holmes will be attending training in Scottsburg to begin rating roads. The roads must be rated to obtain Community Crossing Grant funds. He will begin the process of rating county roads within the next three to four months.
Emergency Management
Emergency Management Director Valerie Luchauer submitted the following report to the commissioners. She stated the weather radio distribution is going well especially after the weather incident on Thursday, March 14.
A free Severe Weather Spotter Training will be offered April 23 at 6 p.m. at the Mitchell Community Center.
Luchauer has created a new draft of the Emergency Plan for special events in the county such as at the Lawrence County Recreational Park in light of future events planned at the venue. Emergency officials will be meeting in April to finalize the plan.
