Committee backs dedication of County Road 26 Bridge 807 in Belfast to William A. Nichols despite member concerns about late notice

The Allegany County Department of Public Works committee voted March 5 to prepare a resolution dedicating County Road 26 (local Bridge 807) in the town of Belfast in honor of William A. Nichols, citing Nichols’s decades of service to the county’s highway operations.

Dean Skalls presented the dedication text to the committee, outlining Nichols’s career: beginning as a motor equipment operator in 1968, election as highway superintendent in the 1970s, leadership roles in county and state highway superintendents’ associations, appointment to a state coordinating committee in 1982, and continued service on association committees through the 2000s. Skalls described the dedication as a lasting tribute to Nichols’s service to Belfast and the region.

Committee members moved to accept the dedication and to advance the draft resolution to the full board. The motion carried by voice vote.

At least one committee member expressed frustration that the dedication item arrived on the committee agenda with short notice. "My concern with this is that I think that we need something that says that if we don't have this information by a certain [time] the day before committee meeting, it gets postponed until the next," the member said, noting the item arrived late that morning and arguing members had insufficient time to review the materials.

Committee leadership acknowledged the timing concern and said the item would be moved forward to the full board; they also said more discussion could occur there if needed.

The resolution will be prepared for full-board consideration; staff did not provide a firm timeline in the committee discussion.