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Geneva County weighs equipment purchases and an alternative bridge repair after weekend storm
Summary
After a storm that left multiple trees down, Geneva County engineers told commissioners they lack motor-grader staff and recommended equipment purchases; the commission authorized two new dump trucks and discussed a $60,000 alternative to replace a damaged Caldwell Road bridge, but legal counsel said Sanitation funds cannot be used to pay for road repairs.
Geneva County Engineer Justin Barfield told the commission on Jan. 26 that a recent weather event left about 10 locations with trees down across the county, with the Eunola area among the worst hit. Barfield said the county has six motor graders but only three full-time operators (and one part-time), which he called insufficient and said can stretch routine grading cycles to around five months.
Barfield said the county is advertising for equipment operators including Motor Grader Operators and proposed the commission consider purchasing additional graders to speed maintenance. Commissioner Jeff Hatcher asked whether adjusting shift schedules could keep graders running five days per week; Barfield said staffing changes and hires were needed in addition to any schedule changes.
A separate roadway incident damaged a bridge on Caldwell Road when a vehicle heavier than the posted three-ton limit crossed and broke the mid span. Barfield said a drainage study recommended installing three 84-inch pipes in place of the span at an estimated cost of about $60,000 to eliminate the weight restriction. Chairman Toby Seay and Barfield asked that the Solid Waste department be charged for the cost because a Solid Waste garbage truck reportedly caused the damage. County Attorney Phil Eldridge said the commission could not reassign that cost to sanitation funds, citing an Attorney General opinion (Winston County Opinion 2011-068) that prohibits using sanitation/disposal funds for general road repairs.
The commission also learned the buyer of the landfill intends to use the full due-diligence period, which pushed the expected sale closing into March. On fleet replacement, commissioners voted 4-0 to purchase two new Kenworth dump trucks; Barfield said vendor quotes were around $223,000 with a pending quote guarantee from J.M. Wood closer to $185,000 and that sale of older trucks would offset payoff obligations.
What's next: the engineer will return with hiring and procurement specifics and formal cost breakdowns for the Caldwell Road repair; legal counsel's citation about fund restrictions means the commission will need to identify alternative funding for the bridge repair if county policy does not allow a charge-back to Solid Waste.
