Resident warns commissioners a Polk County road is unsafe, shows photos

A resident who identified only as White told the Polk County Commissioners Court the county road serving their property is dangerous and badly eroded, saying motorists sometimes must back into yards to pass and that the washouts have trapped tractors and other vehicles.

White said they had repeatedly contacted county staff and met with an employee named Kayla but had not received a follow-up. “I’m tired of it,” White said, describing a washed-out road bed, deep ditches and potholes severe enough to keep the resident from riding a motorcycle. White said neighbors have been stuck and that the condition worsened after grader work that left a groove near the road bed.

The concern came during the meeting’s public comment period, not as part of a formal agenda item. County staff and the court asked White to provide the photos they mentioned and to set an appointment with Commissioner Cassidy so maintenance staff could inspect the site. The court did not take formal action during the meeting on the road; commissioners instructed staff to review the complaint after receiving the photographs.

Background: White contrasted current responsiveness with that they recalled under a previous county worker, saying that earlier problems had been answered more promptly. White asked the court to restore the road bed and address the washed-out drainage that narrows the travel lane in several spots.

The court’s immediate response was procedural: staff and Commissioner Cassidy were asked to review the photos and follow up with the resident. No schedule, cost estimate or timeline for repairs was provided on the record.

The court’s handling keeps the matter in the complaint-and-inspection stage rather than committing funds or scheduling work; any repair would go through the county’s maintenance/roads process and require staff assessment and budgeting.