MoCo Commission Plans Road Work, Announces Speed Limit Hearings

Montgomery County Commissioners, meeting Monday, August 9, in a regular session approved the purchase of equipment for road and ground maintenance; a contract for repairs on two roads; and announced dates for public hearings on proposed changes to speed limits on three county-maintained roads. The Commission approved the $49,065 purchase of a mulcher head to attach to the Road Department’s excavator. The heavy-duty head will handle trees with larger trunks and branches. Commissioners previously considered renting this equipment, but no mulchers were available for rent.

The Commission approved the purchase of a mower head for $18,238 and authorized spending $6,938.98 for repairs to the County’s side arm mower. These expenses are being funded by revenue from the retail of surplus assets.

Also, Commissioners awarded a bid of $103,728 from Littlefield Construction Company of Waycross for paving a half-mile of roadway on Scarlett O’Hara Drive and Tara Drive. The project will be funded through the FY22 Local Maintenance Improvement Grant (LMIG).

The Commission also gave a nod to another LMIG project, the stabilization and resurfacing of Fire Tower Road. This project is currently not open for bids but will be completed before the year is over.

Hearings on

Speed Ordinance

Commissioners also announced the dates for two public hearings regarding the speed ordinance for Thompson Pond Road, Old Kibbee Road North, and Taylor Springs Road.

On the dates of these hearings, citizens can visit the Adult Literacy Center in Mount Vernon to view a map of the roads with the proposed speed limits.

The first of these hearings will be Monday, August 23, from 10 to 11:30 a.m. at the Montgomery County Adult Literacy Center. The second will occur the following Monday, August 30, from 6:30 to 8 p.m. in the same location. These events will be conducted in a “drop-in” fashion, and citizens may leave the hearing after they have asked questions or voiced concerns. The Commissioners will take the comments under advisement and a decision will be announced during the monthly September meeting.

EMA Report

During the meeting on Monday, Emergency Management Agency Director Donnie Daniels reported that the weather alert system recently installed on the campus of Brewton-Parker College has a wider range than expected. Daniels reported the siren system was recently tested, and the system actually reached much further than its projected range of 1.5 miles, according to feedback he received from the community. The system will be used to alert the community of tornadoes and severe weather with winds over 70 mph. Daniels explained that the official project sign off will occur on August 19, but before then there is a need to purchase a new black box for the radio transmitters at a cost $1,600.

The $31,000 weather alert project was funded by a grant received by the EMA, but Daniels has since found another provider willing to sell refurbished systems for installation at local municipalities for a lower price to ensure community safety.

Daniels also warned of the continued increase in COVID sicknesses in the community. “The EMS service has reported 86 recent COVID cases, which shows the uptick in the community,” he said. Dump Truck Buyback, Food Service Contract County Manager Brandon Braddy shared the possibility of the county participating in a guaranteed dump truck buyback program conducted through Worldwide Equipment Enterprises, Inc., of Albany. The program would allow the County to purchase a truck at the beginning of the year that would be sold for auction at the end of the year. The county and company would split the profits. Braddy said further details and proposals would be shared later with Commissioners. Commissioners also approved an annual contract with Middle Flint Council on Aging, Inc., to prepare meals and other food for the Montgomery County Senior Center. The contract is unit based, costing $3.70 per delivered meal. Delivered shelf-staple meals cost $3.45.