Sulphur Bluff Resident Complains of Unsafe Road Conditions Near His Residence
Hopkins County had a little bit of money left over in the Road and Bridge Fund Balance from fiscal year 2021 that the four Precinct Commissioners will be able to use during the 2022 fiscal year. One county resident told commissioners he would like to Precinct 3 repair what he considers unsafe road conditions near his home.
Budget Amendment
County Auditor Shannah Aulsbrook noted that all together the county had $810,318 left in the Road and Bridge fund after the 2021 audit. She recommended transferring those funds in a rollover line into the 2022 budget for each precinct commissioner to spend the percent as he sees fit, as there are no rules restricting the use of that funding.
Precincts 2 and 4 had quite a bit more money left over at the end of FY 2021 than others, due largely to grant funding. Precinct 1 will be carrying over $45,000, while Precinct 2 carries over $361,640, Precinct 3 carries over $23,587 and Precinct 4 transfers $380,091 from 2021 to 2022.
Precinct 2 Commissioner Greg Anglin said for most part, the carry over amounts are pretty much “already spent with these oil prices. ” Anglin made a motion, which Precinct 4 Commissioner Joe Price seconded, to approved the budget amendments asrecommended. The entire 4-member body then, on Monday, March 28, 2022, approved the budget amendment during the regular court meeting as recommended.
Road Complaint
Frank Brown, who for the past few months has frequently expressed discontent to Precinct 3 Commissioner Wade Bartley during the public comments portion of the Hopkins County Commissioners Court meetings, Monday once again complained about road conditions near his Sulphur Bluff residence.
Brown said when he spoke to Judge Robert Newson and Commissioner Bartley on Monday, Feb. 14, he was told Bartley planned to rerock the road. After more than a month, Brown said, the road has yet to be rerocked and has, in fact, now turned to mud. He said rock was hauled the first week of March to “somewhere in Sulphur Bluff,” but was not appplied to the road in question. Brown said he on March 17, he called and left a message for Bartley regarding the road problems.
“I told him that we don’t need that red dirt – iron ore they call it – on the roads because it turns into pure mud,” Brown said. “You go look at it, go look at [County Road] 3617. It just turns into mud, and potholes and everything else on 3617. I don’t think that’s a mile. that’s eight-tenths of a mile maybe,” Brown said.
The Sulphur Bluff resident said he warned Bartley last year and as done so for the last few years that those asphalt roads are cracking and need to be sealed.
Brown held up a bag with a dark clump he said was 2 1/2 inches of oil dirt he said “dissolving off the side of the road.” He said he sstopped and collected the clump on the way to court Monday morning for elected officials to see what he’s been talking about.
“I’ve see some of the roads the other commissioners are doing. They look great – I’m not saying they all do, but some of them does. The roads out here is getting ridiculous to drive on, trees not trimmed. You pass someone on 3635, 40, 46, you pass someone there, you’re in the ditch or you’r in a tree. I mean there’s no question about it. This has got to be resolved. It’s not safe to drive that road under they conditions they are,” Brown claimed.
Newsom thanked Brown for his comments, but no further comment was made regarding the matter by the Commissioners Court during the regular March 28, 2022 meeting.
