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County discusses hazardous gravel spill, cleanup and possible cost assessment under Code 318
Summary
Supervisors discussed a heavy gravel haul incident near Alexander Cemetery that left rock and mud on a paved road, caused at least one crash and required multiple cleanups; Highway staff proposed assessing part of the clean-up cost under county Code 318 and emphasized safety concerns.
During the Nov. 25 meeting, the Franklin County Board heard a detailed report about a gravel-haul incident that left rock and mud on a paved roadway near Alexander Cemetery and the FS fertilizer plant. County road staff described crews scraping the roadway multiple times, hauling loads of rock onto nearby gravel roads, and responding with loaders and graders. Speakers reported at least one vehicle collision tied to the slick conditions.
Staff told the board they have not yet billed or recovered the full cost of the cleanup. One participant (Speaker 2) said they planned to assess half of the equipment and hauling costs back to the hauling party, citing county authority under Code 318 to assess costs for cleanup when a third party creates a hazard. The transcript includes an unclear cost reference (speaker remarks that appear to cite an aggregate rock/haul cost; the exact dollar figure is not clear on the record).
Board members discussed practical and legal issues: how long the county had notice of the condition before the crash, whether liability rested with the hauler (staff said yes if the county had no prior knowledge), and what flashing lights, signage or crew practices were used during early-morning operations. Speakers also noted recurring operational burdens when hauling activity puts mud or rock on county roads, including repeated grader passes and hauling rock to restore gravel roads during fall conditions.
Highway staff described specific remedies used (scribing rock to the shoulder on blacktop; hauling rock on gravel feeds; using skid loaders to scrape after hauling) and noted limitations on recovering the county’s labor costs for crews already on duty. Board members asked for additional detail about where the gravel originated and whether the landowner or hauler could be billed. Staff said they would attempt to identify origin points and split recoverable costs, referencing Code 318 as the county’s statutory mechanism to assess costs for cleanup or damage.
The board did not take a formal vote on cost assessment at the meeting; staff said they would proceed with follow-up investigation and contact the hauling parties to attempt cost recovery and record any formal assessment if warranted.
