Board approves paving program, elevator

By Lisa Majors-Duff

The Department of Transportation's secondary road paving program encompassed the bulk of the funds, at just over $3.8 million, all of which will be funded by the state. The 2002-03 program calls for 10.38 miles of county roads to be paved, according to Division Engineer Ron Watson, who presented the board with next year's paving list during a special meeting May 9.

The rural list includes portion of Speedwell Road (SR 1001), Bullpen Road (SR 1100A), Sugar Loaf Road (SR 1707), Joe Fowler Road (SR 1173A), Owens Gap Road (SR 1763) and Big Ridge Road (SR 1129A). The residential list includes sections of Silvermine Road (SR 1105A), Old Grasshopper Road (SR 1366), Angel Mathis Road (SR 1179), Sols Creek Road (SR 1138), Jim Cannon Road (SR 1376), Shoal Creek Road (SR 1158) and New School Road (SR 1545).

"We have gotten near the bottom of the priority list," Watson told the board. "Some people don't want their roads paved, and that's fine, if the majority feels that way."

Watson briefly explained a bill being considered in the state Legislature that would allow at least 75 percent of property owners on a given road to petition for condemnation of the property owned by the remaining 25 percent to allow for paving to proceed. Willing property owners would be required to raise the funds to cover such a process, said Watson, who estimated the expense at about $2,500.

The next in the line of big ticket items approved last week was an elevator for the new jail at $220,000, all of which will be funded by the county. While work to complete the addition's second floor is not expected to begin until next year, "now is the time to put in a stairwell and elevator," county Manager Ken Westmoreland told the board in a recent memo.

"The work could now be accomplished easily as a design and construction change order with the present contractors, and it would eliminate the need for some future demolition and modification of walls and windows to provide for the elevator and stairwell," Westmoreland wrote.

Work on the $6 million Law Enforcement Center has slowed slightly, the manager said, but a late summer opening is still being anticipated.

The facility under construction on the south side of the Justice Center will provide about 15,000 square feet for Sheriff's Department offices and the new 48-bed jail. Once completed, the second floor will provide another 15,000 square feet for county administrative offices, including the manager's office, finance office and commission boardroom.

Following a contract revision, commissioners moved to go ahead with plans to spend $166,690 for 42 IVote machines. Board members had been ready to purchase the voting machines in March until county attorney Raymond Large pointed out that the contract's language called for payment upon delivery.

As the contract now reads, the county will have 30 days following the yet-to-be-set primary election to pay for the machines, Large said.

"It's not clear cut that if we don't like them we can send them back," he said.

Votronics, the company supplying the machines, would be given an opportunity to fix any problems found during the primary before payment or refusal, said elections supervisor Lisa Lehman.

Also last week, board members voted to co-sign for a $100,000 loan to be made to the Jackson County Airport Authority. The funds would be used to rebuild the facility's terminal and will be paid back with hanger rentals and fuel sales, according to authority board member Tom McClure.

"There is a strong, renewed interest in the airport," McClure told the board. "We are working to get the airport authority to be a viable business."

In other business, commissioners agreed to empanel 10 individuals to review the county's emergency management system, as required by a recent state law. New temporary rules require each county to establish an EMS system and submit an application to the Office of Emergency Medical Services, Westmoreland told the board in a memo.

"While Jackson County has an established EMS system, the rules require a detailed documentation of our program," he wrote. "But the rules also require that the present system be reviewed for possible improvement or development and insurance of a team approach."

Approved panel members are Brenda Stewart, Glenville-Cashiers EMS director; Toby Moore, WestCare EMS director; Ben Clawson, Jackson County Rescue Squad chief; Ray Crawford, Glenville-Cashiers Rescue Squad captain; Steve Darby, WestCare emergency department director; Casey Cooper, Eastern Band of Cherokee health and medical division director; Dr. Kent O'Brian, WestCare emergency room physician; Lee Isley, WestCare; Randall Turpin, county health department director; and Mike Ensley, county emergency management director.

The next meeting of the Jackson County Board of Commissioners is set for 7 p.m. Thursday, June 6, at the Justice Center.

Back to Archive: 05/23/02.