By Rupert Howell
Supervisors approved approximately $1.8 million in State-Aid Road bids repairing and/or resurfacing  Union-Fredonia Roads from 315 Highway to  approximately one-half mile of Fredonia as well as overlay on portions of Pope-Crowder and Curtis Locke Station Roads.
Lehman-Roberts Construction Company was the low and only bidder at $1.59 million of the Union-Fredonia project which came in almost 12 percent lower than the engineer’s estimate.
Kimes and Stone Construction Company was the low bidder for the other resurfacing project at $235,920, 7.5 percent above the engineer’s estimate.
Road manager Lygunnah Bean informed supervisors during Monday’s recess meeting that new motor graders should be on the county’s equipment lot before the day was over. Supervisors earlier this month approved the purchase of four graders from the lone bidder, Thompson Machinery, in the amount of $251,218 each.
Bean advised supervisors that current motor graders being used would be parked until bids were accepted and they are sold September 12.
The road manager also informed supervisors the county would no longer break up donated concrete for rip-rap rock used by the county to fill in washes along the road side.
Bean had recently sought and received permission from supervisors to break up a concrete slab and haul it away as rip-rap.
“A state inspector (from the Department of Audit) says that’s sort of out of bounds,” Bean stated and explained, “I think rip-rap at a point we can load it (with a back hoe) is okay. But I don’t think we can move a track-hoe to someone’s place to break it up.”
Emergency Management Director Daniel Cole informed board members the county may receive approximately $100,000 80/20 match funds for their Hazard Mitigation Plan following recent declared disasters.
Cole said while his recommendation had been to install emergency generators at the county’s two maintenance shops and a couple of rural fire districts, District One Supervisor James Birge recommended a Sardis Courthouse generator be installed instead of rural fire department generators.
Birge also questioned if the generator at the Batesville Courthouse was sufficient with Cole explaining the biggest problem was remembering to refill the fuel tank as the generator automatically  cuts on once weekly, “And that’s on me,” Cole added.
Cole was told to proceed with the plan for generators at courthouses and county shops although official action by the board was yet to be needed.
Supervisors also gave final approval to the county land commission ordinances’ “bible,” as attorney Bill McKenzie explained—an order that reflects all ordinances.
“If anybody has got something that looks different, they need to get one that’s up-to-date,” the board attorney said.
Supervisors have tentatively agreed to contract with former Health Department employee Field Dew as waste water inspector on an as-needed basis. Dew will officially begin his contract work in October.
Chad Meek who works with the land commission said Monday that he has chosen a software package for his office similar to what the city of Batesville and some surrounding counties are using.
“We’ve got to have it,” Meek explained having received approval from supervisors during a previous meeting.
Chancery Clerk Jim Pitcock got a green light  to shred warrants issued through his office in 2010 and prior. Pitcock explained he was proceeding with the task as a space saving issue.
Next month’s First District meeting in Sardis will be held on Tuesday rather than the traditional Monday as Labor Day falls on the regular meeting date. Supervisors convene at 9 a.m.