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Public works: Liberty School paving complete; county flags high sign replacement costs, transfer-station scale set for July
Summary
Public works staff reported that paving and drainage work at Liberty School is complete, highlighted a $30,000 annual cost for signs (excluding labor) tied to theft and damage, and said transfer-station scales will be operational in July while the south scale awaits next fiscal-year work.
Public works staff told the board on May 30 that crews spent most of May working on the Liberty School road project, completing slope work, drainage, signage and paving, and finishing the Ray Creek intersection in the week before the meeting.
The department said the final seal coat for the project is scheduled for late June. Staff also reported they have not observed missing signs or damage since project completion and asked the board to consider offering thanks to crews and landowners who cooperated on access.
When commissioners asked about the cost of replacing signs lost to theft or damage, public works staff separated theft from accidental damage and said the county will have spent about $30,000 on signs year-to-date; that figure does not include labor.
Airport work and other infrastructure updates were also discussed. Staff said phase 2 of the airport precision approach path indicator (PAPI) reconstruction is underway: an independent fee estimate and required FAA documentation are complete and a surveyor will identify a new PAPI location. Design work will follow and construction is anticipated under a separate contract in 2026.
Solid-waste operations remain in progress and staff reported continued coordination with the Department of Environmental Quality on implementation of Oregon’s Recycling Modernization Act. Morrow County will participate in the statewide program beginning July 1, 2025, and the county manager said staff will work with the contract coordinating agency group to prepare.
The transfer-station scale in the north site is expected to be operational in July; the south scale requires additional work budgeted for the next fiscal year. Commissioners and citizens raised concerns that current cubic-foot charging practices at transfer stations have been inconsistently applied, producing higher-than-expected fees for some customers. Staff said the scale will enable consistent, accurate charging and that they plan to improve attendant adherence to the posted fee schedule.
Staff also reported road patching plans for a badly deteriorated section of Paul Smith road between Coonsie and the canal; crews will place patches until a scheduled irrigation-lateral project (expected to start in October) is complete and final paving can occur.
No formal board action was taken on the public-works items; staff asked commissioners whether there were questions and noted a filled attendant position for the northern transfer station.
