Erath County commissioners on Aug. 11 approved several road and site-improvement items tied to safety and construction timelines.

The court authorized county staff to proceed with rebuilding a retaining wall behind the Alpha College property that sits on the joint dispatch center site after staff presented one contractor quote of $24,500 from Stone Concrete. Staff said other contractors were solicited but did not respond in time; commissioners accepted the single qualified quote to keep the dispatch project on schedule.

Commissioner Edwards asked that the court try to obtain multiple bids in future projects, but the court approved proceeding to avoid delay. Commissioners noted McKinstry engineers had provided specifications and the contractor would follow that scope.

Separately the court approved a request from Precinct 3 to clear vegetation on French Row (County Road 177) near a new concrete plant and the upcoming White Horse Christian Academy campus to improve sight lines and address future congestion.

The court also approved using recycled asphalt material provided to Precinct 4 for the parking lot at the Huckabee Volunteer Fire Department and Huckabee Community Center; staff said the material would reduce tracking and improve the lot’s performance at low cost.

Ending: Commissioners emphasized the benefits of timely repairs to keep construction schedules and local safety improvements on track; the retaining wall award will be documented and staff will seek additional bids for future work when practical.