As the construction season continues, we would just like to remind everyone to exercise caution when traveling around road workers, be they City, County, or State. Believe me, these hard working men and women don’t want to impede traffic any more than you want to be impeded, but they have a job to do. Please look out when traveling in a work zone.
A few items of interest that the Commission has been working on are below.
• This week we had the pleasure of meeting with the Hermsmeyers from the Blackmore Rd. area of Lincoln County. The conversation focused on widening and improving roads, and it was beneficial for the Commission to have an open, face-to-face dialogue in which both parties were able to clear up some misunderstandings and misconceptions. The most important takeaway from our meeting with these gentlemen is that there is a widespread belief that the County has wide road easements. We in fact do not, and if you live on a narrow winding road, it is probably because the County does not have permission from the adjoining landowners to trim the trees back and make the road a safe width. Before a road can even be considered for conversion from gravel to asphalt, it must first have drainage and safety issues addressed and meetings like we had today with the Hermsmeyers are a great first step in the process to obtain the necessary easements to do what needs to be done. County crews are working diligently to improve roads wherever we have permission, and as a Commission we are committed to supporting these efforts. If you have an opportunity to travel Creech School Rd., it is an example of the type of improvements that can be accomplished when we have landowner cooperation. A narrow, winding, poorly drained gravel road has undergone monumental changes which will ultimately lead to this road being hard surfaced. We are also preparing to undertake the same type of work on Cuivre Ford Rd. as soon as the crews can get there. Thanks again to the Hermsmeyers for a productive conversation.
• Did you know that Lincoln County is only the 13th county in the state to qualify for the Community Rating System (CRS) through the National Flood Insurance Program? Thanks to our Class 7 rating, all policy holders in unincorporated Lincoln County floodplains will see a 15% decrease in their premium for their 2018 renewal which amounts to an average savings of $123 per year. Congratulations are in order for the Floodplain Management Office for their diligent effort in making this a reality.
• Construction will soon be underway on the renovations at the Courthouse on Main St. In addition to repairing some soffit damage, the cupola will have the vinyl siding removed and will be redone with a more historically accurate material. The work will be performed by Martin General Contractors of Eolia, Missouri, and will also include repairs to the front porch columns. The front porch project has been a long time in the making as the columns and bases date back to the original building construction in 1870 and must be handled with extreme care. The project will continue through this fall, with completion expected just in time for our Bi-Centennial celebration in December.
That’s all we have time for now. As always, call, e-mail or stop by the Courthouse if you have questions. Until next week…
The Commissioners
