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Residents urge Polk County to reconcile road records and speed repairs in Lake Livingston area
Summary
Residents from Lake Livingston Estates, Gilpin Cove and other neighborhood associations told Polk County Commissioners Court on May 13 that county-maintained roads are in poor condition and that county records do not reflect roads previously approved for county maintenance. Court staff asked commenters to provide documentation for follow-up.
Several residents from neighborhoods around Lake Livingston asked Polk County Commissioners Court on May 13 to reconcile county road records and accelerate repairs for potholes, failing drainage and missing signage.
At a public-comment period, Terry Register, a homeowner in Lake Livingston Estates Sections 4 and 5, said he reviewed county minutes and other records and found discrepancies between roads the court previously approved for county maintenance and the county’s current inventory. "If there is a discrepancy, then we try to correct it as quickly as possible," Polk County Judge Murphy said when instructing Register to provide the supporting records so staff could investigate.
Other residents also described dangerous road conditions. Keith McAfee, who said he lives in unincorporated Precinct 2, criticized the timing of a proposed courthouse furniture purchase while some precinct roads remain unrepaired, and asked the court to prioritize basic infrastructure. A representative of the Gilpin Cove homeowners association said several roads have not been repaired since an April 2020 tornado and described large potholes that have caused vehicle damage.
County staff and commissioners advised residents to submit the spreadsheets or meeting minutes they used so the county could check 911 addressing and the county's maintained-roads list. Judge Murphy said the county's maintained-roads workbook is updated regularly and asked residents to send specifics "either to Mr. DuBose or to this office" for review.
The court did not take a formal vote on road repairs during the public-comment period. Commissioners said road maintenance requests must be funneled through the appropriate precinct commissioner and county maintenance staff for scheduling and budget consideration. Staff indicated some repair needs will be considered in the commissioners' ongoing road maintenance planning and budget updates.
Residents pressed the court for clearer timelines and more transparency about how roads are added to the county-maintained inventory; court staff asked for documentation so they could follow up and, where discrepancies exist, update records and schedules.
Polk County officials said they would review the materials residents provide and follow up with the precinct commissioner and maintenance office to determine whether roads should be added to the county-maintained list and prioritized for repairs.
