Money has been moved around and haulers have been added as the Magoffin County Fiscal Court tackles the county’s road situation with extra vigor.
Reports of damaged roads have come from just about every area of the county, and help would seem to be on the way.
“Due to the freeze and thaw, snow and rain, our roads have seen quite a bit of damage,” judge-executive Charles Hardin, MD, said. “This is the worst shape the roads have been in during the nine years I have been in office.”
Judge-executive Hardin declared emergency status relating to the road situation, and county officials reviewed the matter during a regular fiscal court meeting Thursday afternoon.
With $110,000 from what Hardin termed “a rainy day fund” the county hired six privately owned and operated trucks and had one donated to assist in the effort.
In a month’s time the county used over 3,000 tons of gravel, but Judge-executive Hardin said the county’s resources, which includes four trucks, just wasn’t enough to keep pace with demand.
“We’ve almost tripled our hauling capabilities, so that will be a big help,” he said. “We’re going to go to each magistrate’s district and take care of the worst roads first and when that is completed we’ll go back and take care of the rest.
“I know it’s a difficult situation and we’re doing them as fast as we can.”
Judge-executive Hardin said citizens could contact county officials to alert them of certain roads that need attention.
Residents should call the county garage at 349-1848 or the judge-executive’s office at 349-2313.
“I want them to call because there might be some roads that we miss.”
Scotty Bishop, representing Veolia, also offered a help/information line for residents who might have problems and/or questions regarding garbage pick-up.
During the court meeting, Bishop said his company wanted to be a positive part of the county and asked customers to contact the company’s transfer station at 349-5933.
“We can’t fix any problems if we don’t know about them,” Bishop said.
In other business, court members passed a resolution in honor of former sheriff Pat Montgomery, discussed surveying of the Magoffin County Cemetery, and heard about potential sewer projects.
Kevin Howard, with Summit Engineers, reviewed the projects, which remain in the planning stages.
The sewer projects the county is interested in would serve 645 households and would come with a $10.8 million price tag.