~Wet weather, problems finding quality gravel halt the work process
CHARLESTON -- Mississippi County needs some dry weather and good gravel.
The poor condition of the county's gravel roads was once again discussed during their regular County Commission meeting Thursday.
"We're in a predicament," said Commissioner Homer Oliver. "We've got to have dry weather."
In addition to needing weather that will allow the county to work on the gravel roads, officials still are having difficulty finding quality material to repair them when they do dry out.
"There's no sense in buying that red gravel," Presiding Commissioner Jim Blumenberg said.
Commissioner Martin Lucas said part of the problem is the road grader operators are grading the roads flat instead of putting a crown on them which is not allowing the roads to drain properly.
The operators don't put a crown on the road because it requires them to make at least three passes, Blumenberg said.
Blumenberg said operators also continue to grade rarely used roads too often while heavily traveled roads are not graded often enough.
"Something's got to give," he said.
In other business Thursday:
* Commissioners approved an airport layout plan agreement.
County Clerk Junior DeLay advised commissioners the agreement is required by the Missouri Department of Transportation in order to secure State Aviation Trust Fund program grant funding from MoDOT that will pay for the airport layout plan project.
The grant will provide $67,000 with a required local match of $7,500 for a total project cost of $75,000, according to DeLay.
The updated airport layout plan is required for the county airport to be eligible for future State Aviation Trust Fund program grants.
* Commissioners continued work on the county's annual operating budget for 2008 but in a closed session.
"Most of what needs to be discussed is personnel," DeLay said.
DeLay said there is still a lot of work to be done on the budget.
"Based on the budget requests, there's going to be some big adjustments made," he said.
* Lucas said has found a "beaver man."
The beaver trapper is from Malden and charges $50 per beaver, according to Lucas.
While the cost is higher than the county has paid in the past, beavers must be removed as they build dams in drainage ditches.
Lucas said the trapper is slated to attend the next regular County Commission meeting Thursday.
* The insurance settlement transaction for a Sheriff's Department patrol vehicle that was totaled in a traffic accident has been completed.
"The Jeep is gone," DeLay said. "We got the check and they picked it up."
* Commissioners approved the county treasurer's annual settlements.