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Residents oppose proposed Ed Ward Road closure at county hearing
Summary
At a March 3 Ben Hill County Commissioners public hearing, multiple residents, a local business manager and the school board spoke against a request to close Ed Ward Road, citing impacts on farmers, property values and local access; 25 audience members raised hands opposing the closure.
Chairman Steve Taylor opened a public hearing at the Ben Hill County Courthouse Annex after reading a request from Modern Dispersions South Inc. asking the county to consider closing Ed Ward Road because of safety concerns related to increased traffic when a new school is built and nearby train car movements.
Justin Phillips, manager of Colony Peanut, told commissioners he opposed closing the road because his operation uses it regularly for equipment and seed deliveries and closing it would force more travel onto Highway 107. “I don’t want the road close because they use the road for equipment, seed, etc. This road keeps them off highway107 and they use it regularly for farming,” Phillips said.
Other residents echoed those concerns. Connie Sexton said she was not in favor of the closure, and landowner Charlie Dorminy said closing the road would hurt the marketability of his property and have a significant impact on farmers. Chairman Gary Smith, representing the School Board, said the board’s preference was to keep the road open and to pursue improvements instead of a closure. Local traveler Cliff Ward acknowledged the safety concern raised by Modern Dispersions but said he worried about the precedent that a closure would set.
County Manager Michael Dinnerman asked for a show of hands of those opposed; 25 hands were raised. After public comment, the board closed the public hearing and returned to the regular meeting. No formal action to close Ed Ward Road was taken at the March 3 meeting.
Commissioner John Mooney later noted the commissioners had heard the public’s concerns but also urged colleagues to remember potential liability issues once the new school is built, signaling the board will need to weigh safety and legal considerations in any future decision.
The matter remained under discussion; the transcript records public comment and no vote to close the road was taken during this meeting.
