Commissioners deny petition to close Yale Road

Tammy Helm/Tribune photo Bourbon County Third District Commissioner Harold Coleman on Tuesday looks at Commission Chair Barbara Albright as he talks about why the commissioners should deny a petition to close Yale Road between 255th and 265th streets.

The Bourbon County Commissioners on Tuesday voted unanimously to deny a petition to close a portion of Yale Road in the northeast portion of Bourbon County.

The commissioners held a public hearing to consider the petition on June 14. After hearing from several property owners in the area of the road, the commissioners agreed they needed more time to consider the petition -- well, two commissioners, that is.

Harold Coleman, who represents the third commission district where the proposed closing is located, was ready to vote against the petition on June 14 and on June 21 when the commissioners discussed the petition again. On June 21, Commission Chair Barbara Albright said the commissioners had promised a decision would not be made until they met with residents again.

On Tuesday, 10 people attended the meeting to learn what the commissioners' decision would be.

Clay Guthrie, who submitted the petition, participated in the meeting via conference call.

The petition called for closing 5,500-feet of Yale Road between 255th and 265th Street. That portion of Yale Road leads to a closed bridge that crosses Indian Creek.

Coleman and First District Commissioner Lynne Oharah have looked at the road, but Albright said she has not driven to the road.

Before a motion was made, Coleman spoke about the request.

"Very rarely do we have opposition to a road closing," Coleman said "That belongs to people in this county. Most of these people here are in my district or from there that oppose this. The landowners, which I'm glad that they invest in Bourbon County, but none of them live here in Bourbon County. I'm glad that they pay taxes here, but I will not go against the people that live in this county to close that road."

Guthrie has promised access across his property to Joe and Barbara Peine, who said they need an alternative to leave their property if and when flooding occurs.

Oharah said "in reality" after a road is closed, a property owner could erect a fence and locked gate.

Later, Barbara Peine said if the property would sell and the next owner would not allow them a key, "then we would have a problem in an emergency situation."

Peine said a year ago, she was so sick that if they had to take time to unlock a gate, she would not "be here today."