BEDFORD – The Lawrence County commissioners approved Lawrence County Veterans Affairs Officer Brad Bough’s and Lawrence County Prosecutor’s Sam Arp’s request to host a Festival for Heroes. The festival will honor veterans, police officers, firefighters, and emergency first responders.
The event will be held all day on September 11 on the courthouse lawn. J Street will be closed to traffic. The event will have vendors, food trucks, and a car show. The Prosecutor’s Office will also have a free DNA and fingerprinting booth for children.
“We want to support our local heroes including 3,000 plus veterans, firefighters, paramedics, and police officers,” said Arp. “This will give the public the chance to show their support and gratitude. It will also allow our youth to meet these heroes.”
“This is not only for Lawrence County but the heroes of other communities,” added Bough.
In other business, the commissioners approved the employee benefit plan renewal.
“The current plan will not change, “said Miles Parker, of Parker Group. “We secured the plan at 3 percent below budget.”
Approved Larry Hardman’s appointment to the Community Correction Advisory Board.
The commissioners approved Travis Norman, of SWS Developments’request to amend the plat for 28 lot lines at StoneCrest subdivision.
The commissioners certified that the Williams Covered Bridge was the only covered bridge in the county
Lawrence County Highway Department is paving, patching roadways, mowing, and replacing road signs.
Phase two of the bridge inspections are complete and Highway Superintendent David Holmes is receiving bids for the next phase, so far he has received four.
Work on Bridge 162 on Stonington Road continues. Work is progressing and on schedule for Bridges 150 on Mill Creek Road and 172 on Slaughter House Road.
Due Homeland Security training, Valerie Luchauer was not in attendance and therefore her report was not presented.
Sheriff Mike Branham reported there were 156 inmates at the jail this morning, of those 122 were males, 34 females, four Level 6 felons, one Department of Correction hold, and one parole hold.
“We are holding steady around the 150 range,” said Sheriff Branham. “If we continue this trend through the summer we will be in good shape.”
The sheriff also reported that two of the door slides that open and shut the doors at the jail had to be replaced.
“We have to have these specially made because they are unavailable to order because of the age of the jail,” said Branham. “We normally keep two in stock, so I have ordered two more to replace the ones we just used.”
The dryer at the jail also stopped working.
“I attribute that to it runs constantly,” said Branham.
Sheriff Branham has asked for an additional appropriation from the County Council to replace the dryer.
He also asked for an additional appropriation of $29,962.80 to correct a safety problem at the jail. That money will come from riverboat funds.
Commissioner Rodney Fish says the commissioners will hire a consultant to better guide them on how to spend the American Rescue Plan funds. The county has yet to receive any of those funds.
