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Resident presses Cochise County on ungraded dirt road; board points to work session and follow-up
Summary
A Douglas resident told the Cochise County Board of Supervisors that a 2.5-mile ungraded dirt road serving more than 30 homes is “not passable.” Supervisors said staff will confirm whether the road is a county-maintained roadway and follow up; a county work session and later a public hearing on county road maintenance were also noted.
A Douglas resident told the Cochise County Board of Supervisors on Aug. 19 that a county dirt road that serves more than 30 homes has not been graded in years and is “not passable.” Board leaders said staff will check whether the roadway is a county-maintained road and follow up, and noted a work session later that afternoon on county road maintenance.
The resident, identified in the record as Alfred Kern (who also said he was Albert Curran), described the road as about 2.5 miles long with washes, dips and rocks and said some residents have been using tires dragged on the surface to keep it barely passable. “It's not passable. It's critical,” Kern said during the public comment period.
Chair Antonori responded that county staff would confirm whether the roadway is a county road. “We first, we have to make sure it is a county road because a lot of, sadly, people don't realize that a lot of the dirt roads in this county are private,” the chair said, adding that public works staff and County Administrator Joe and Mr. Fazio would be asked to follow up with the speaker.
The board reminded the public that a work session on county road maintenance was scheduled for 1 p.m. the same day to review maintenance processes, criteria and potential updates to levels of maintenance across county roads. The chair also said there will be a separate public hearing on county roads and that the resident would be told how to submit information and speak at that hearing.
The record shows the board's immediate direction was procedural: confirm jurisdiction and, if the road is county-maintained with required easements, consider scheduling maintenance. No formal motion or vote specific to this road was made during the meeting.
Context and next steps: the board asked public works staff to verify ownership and easements, then to contact the resident with the result. The chair invited the resident to attend the scheduled work session or watch it online and noted the county clerk would provide information about a later public hearing where members of the public could speak.
The board adjourned to other business after confirming staff would follow up.
