We've been really blessed since my last post with some very good weather for what we do. There were a few days of stormy weather but overall we've been able to continue scabbing and patching and here it is, after Thanksgiving. We are all surprised but saddened by some incumbents being beaten at the polls however the new electees may do a very good job. The court is committed to working with the voters choices and doing the business of the county seamlessly with the new additions.
We've been busy with some soft spots in the road on CR1362 and 1363, which we then scabbed over after we dug out the places and back-filled with iron ore rock. The crew then scabbed some areas off of the Hart's Bluff road, CR1662, CR1664, CR1725, and CR1745. We then went over to CR1660 and CR 1435 to scab some areas we missed the first time through.
We started the side-boom mower around the precinct early in November. That machine can operate from the pavement and reach out to some "difficult to mow" areas and clean up some low hanging and broken limbs from the many trees that grace our roads. It was a beautiful site this fall to see the "tunnel of trees" changing color on many of our precinct's roads. This machine not only serves a critical service but also gives the trees this tunnel shape.
We did have to cut some dead or dying trees since my last post. Specifically, on CR1535, CR1048, CR1046, and lately CR1345, we cut and hauled off these trees to our mixing field to be burned during rainy weather.
Our biggest effort has been with culverts. We installed a new culvert for Mr. Barnum on CR1725, an extension on a culvert to accommodate Mr. Blair on CR1046, and a replacement for Mr. Young on CR 1048. We installed a culvert for the county across CR1362 to replace one that had rusted and collapsed. We also replaced a culvert for Mr. Martin on CR1345 and cleaned up some trees near his gate. Finally, Mrs Cathcart on CR1435 has had water run into her house in years past because her house pad sits below grade from the adjoining lot. We installed a concrete tile culvert and deepened the ditch by her house to prevent the run-off from the road adding to the problem during a torrential downpour.
We continue to press on with the counties duties concerning the loop project. Despite what was written in the paper quoting individuals involved with acquisitions, we stay active in overseeing the contractors in all phases of the process, including acquisitions, behind the scenes. But we have not, nor will we get involved with dollar amounts during the process of obtaining the property necessary for the project. We feel our presence would be counterproductive in that area to the county's tax-payers as a whole.