Commissioners OK new bridge on CR 640

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  Freestone County District Attorney Brian Evans gives County Commissioners at their Sept. 23 meeting an update on the project to replace the roof on the DA’s office. PHoto by Roxanne Thompson/ Fairfield Recorder

  Freestone County District Attorney Brian Evans gives County Commissioners at their Sept. 23 meeting an update on the project to replace the roof on the DA’s office. PHoto by Roxanne Thompson/ Fairfield Recorder

Freestone County commissioners held a special meeting Monday, Sept. 23, the main purpose of which was to agree to use a discretionary exemption to build a new bridge on County Road 640, which is in Precinct 2.

The commissioners also paid some bills and discussed county projects that are on the books as the current fiscal year ends and the new fiscal year is about to begin on Oct. 1.

As for building the new bridge, Precinct 2 Commissioner Will McSwane said he had budgeted in the upcoming fiscal year to do this project.

“In light of our meeting last Wednesday of the situation, I went and looked at everything, and it’s gotten worse,” McSwane said. “The oil sand is cracked; it’s pretty bad on one side, where it’s stiff. I think it’s still safe; I haven’t shut anything down, but I’m watching it every day because there are trucks going into that plant every day; about three to five trucks at a minimum go in there every day. I’m going to have to do something. Matt (Silar, head of Sanders Creek Construction) can get to it. He’s in-between jobs, and it’s one of those ‘big ones.’ He can start next Monday. I’ve talked to the plant about their rerouting traffic while we’ve got it shut down because it’s pretty – bottom line, we’ve been kicking the can down the road a long time, maybe 50 years. It didn’t get this way over night. It was a problem way back there, and it’s gotten worse. We’ve got to fix it … that’s where I’m at, and I feel like time is of the essence.”

McSwane’s motion was to build a new bridge, and the rest of the court agreed.

Update on county projects

On a separate matter, County Judge Linda Grant asked for updates on current county projects in the works. Those projects included:

• Remodeling the Federal Building for the dispatchers and deputies - Precinct 3 Commissioner Lloyd Lane said the sheetrock is done. Doors and parts have been ordered and should be completed by the end of September. After that, the software will need to be installed. The employees will not be moved in until January 2025, he noted.

• Making new signs for the new tax office, showing a back entrance for long vehicles, like trucks, to park on the side street.

• Putting a new roof on the DA’s office - also DA Brian Evans said the air conditioning is working well. Also, the insurance company has to give an estimate on the cost of the repair.

• Deadline for the county’s claims for the spring storm damage - the court noted that the deadline for making claims is Oct. 22, so they plan to meet very soon with the person to whom they need to turn in claims.

• Finishing the new parking area for the Elections Building - the plan is to put in a flat surface leading to the wheelchair ramps.

• Repairing roof damage to the courthouse - Grant asked Precinct 4 Commissioner Lane for an update on the courthouse roof. He said the county has to submit to FEMA an invoice for the roof repair based on the quote received.