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Morgan County commissioners approve bridge closeout, post recycling director job and accept routine bids; fiber handoff tabled
Summary
At its regular meeting, the Morgan County board approved a final change order that reduced the Ballenger Road bridge contract by $119,148.21, authorized posting the vacant recycling director position, accepted low/responsible bids across multiple categories, and tabled a proposed fiber-optic handoff pending the school board’s action.
Morgan County commissioners on Dec. 22 approved a series of routine actions that the board said will keep projects moving while deferring a proposed fiber‑optic handoff until the local school board acts.
The board voted unanimously to accept a final change order for the Ballenger Road bridge project that reduces the contract by $119,148.21, bringing the final contract amount to $1,008,950.69. "So this final change order reduces the contract amount by a value of $119,148.21," said Brad Staley, a representative of Crossroad Engineering. "So your final contract amount is $1,008,950.69." The board voted 3–0 to accept the reduction and close out the project.
The county also approved an agreement for outside legal services in an upcoming public nuisance case and authorized county staff to post the vacant recycling director position. Laura Parker presented the legal services agreement and explained the county has engaged attorney Michael Kacenic for the case; the board approved the agreement by voice vote, 3–0. On personnel, staff said the county will ask the council on Dec. 22 for permission to post the recycling director job because a Centerton recycling location is expected to open next year; the board voted 3–0 to proceed with the posting.
Procurement matters that began with an overview of annual bids were also resolved. County staff listed bidders across fuel, diesel, liquid asphalt, crushed stone, culverts and small‑structures packages, naming firms that included Premier Energy, Paradis Petroleum, Keystone Cooperative, Newton Oil, Marathon Petroleum, Asphalt Materials, US Ag, Rogers Group, E & B Paving, Core & Main and Civilcon Incorporated. After questions about accepting multiple bids by material type, the board moved to accept "the lowest responsible bidder" approach and voted to accept the bids subject to verification of math and responsibility; motion carried 3–0.
On fiber optics, county staff presented a draft handoff agreement for infrastructure the Metropolitan Sewer/School/Service District (MSD) no longer plans to use. "The plan here is the MSD has decided not to use fiber at this location ... they'd like to hand it off to the county," a county presenter said. The board did not approve the handoff and instead tabled the item until the school board passes a matching resolution; the motion to table carried 3–0.
Other routine actions included approval of the Nov. 3 meeting minutes, the county's updated 2026 holiday schedule, and a motion to forward a tort claim related to a motorcycle wreck to the county's insurance/attorney for handling; all votes were recorded as unanimous, 3–0. The board also acknowledged several annual reports, noted community events in Waverly including an Eagle Scout project at Old Town Waverly Park, and tabled the annual appointees item for further review.
The board's next procedural steps are to forward the recycling‑position posting to the county council on Dec. 22 and to wait for the school board to act on the MSD resolution before taking further action on the fiber handoff. Most other items approved at the meeting were routine closeouts or authorizations that staff said they will finalize administratively.
