There is a busy writing schedule for me this week. In addition to this piece and my other normal writing chores, I am also preparing a few remarks for my Mother’s birthday party which we will celebrate this Saturday. I can knock this County piece out in about 30 minutes most weeks, but doing justice to Mother’s 85 years of dedication to faith and family is going to be a challenge. Wish me luck!
A few items of interest that the Commission has been working on are below.
• We have been working on our future bridge construction plans and the financing challenges that go along with large projects such as this. Fortunately, we maintain a strong position within the Federal Bridge Program (BRO) and continue to leverage local dollars to enable us to build 2 bridges with only the cost of 1 coming out of pocket. Our conservative approach has enabled us to take full advantage of the BRO program. I encourage folks to catch me sometime so I can share the success story of our involvement in the program.
• Commissioner Mueller is seven months into the job and he is getting along well. Both he and Commissioner Bass are very accessible and attentive to resident concerns. Unfortunately, many of the issues they field have already been through the coffee shop, various forms of social media, and assorted other outlets before they make it to the proverbial “horse’s mouth” for the truth. After almost 7 years in office, I am unfortunately accustomed to seeing simple events pass through the aforementioned avenues before becoming a full blown conspiracy theory, only to be refuted upon a review of the facts. If you have a question about the Commission, call a Commissioner. We are all accessible and all love to talk about the things that are happening in Lincoln County.
• We expect to have the 2016 final audit report from Daniel Jones and Associates soon. When we have that in hand, we will get it on the website and address any issues that are contained therein. I will discuss the results in greater detail when the full report is in hand.
• Did you know that the Lincoln County Commission has the authority to set speed limits on County roads, but not on private roads? If a County road does not have a posted limit, the limit is 55mph. Speeding in subdivisions and on other private roads is a growing issue that will require a modification in our statutory authority at the State level to begin tackling the problem.
That’s all I have time for now. As always, call, e-mail or stop by the Courthouse if you have questions. Until next week…
Dan Colbert
Presiding Commissioner
