Commissioners fear roads are falling through the cracks...literally

Bourbon County Commissioners agreed during their regular Monday meeting to take a more proactive approach in spotting where road repairs are most needed.

The county already maintains a website where people may report potholes and other road work that needs to be done, but commissioners agreed that some areas are slipping through the cracks. To remedy the situation, Commissioner Harold Coleman, Commission Chairman Allen Warren and Commissioner Barbara Albright have agreed to carry flags with them to post when they see roads that need attention in the county.

Commissioners also checked with Public Works Director Marty Pearson to make sure that residents who report problems on the website are being contacted as a follow up to their reports. Albright said she recently saw about five or six new reports from the website.

"I think this system is going to work," Albright said. "I just wanted to make sure those were addressed."

Warren reported that about 1.5 inches of rain fell in the southern part of the county over the weekend, which served as an indicator of where some more work needs to be done on county roads. Warren pointed out there are problems along Maple Road and suggested Pearson drive the length of the road to Bronson when it is rainy and flag where he sees standing water.

"Just east of the sale barn is the worst," Warren said. "It's covering three-quarters of the road and we are not doing anything about it."

Warren said there are a couple of advantages to scouting the roads while it is rainy, the first being that problems are more evident when there is standing water.

"We can't go out there on a dry day to find those," Warren said. "Plus, you don't have the water to help flush culverts out."

Warren said places on roads where the shoulder is higher than the road are causing problems because the water is trapped on the roadway and drainage is limited.

"It still gives me diaper rash to drive these roads and see water standing," Coleman said.

In other business:

* Commissioners went into a 10-minute executive session with Pearson to discuss matters pertaining to non-elected personnel. No action was taken.

* Pearson informed commissioners his crew has been experiencing brake problems with a loader at the quarry.

* Commission approved a motion to advertise for sealed bids for haying at Elm Creek. Warren said the bid will be awarded to the highest bidder and that all wheat must be removed from the property by Aug. 1. Bids will close on April 15.

* Pearson told commissioners his department is prepared for snow, which is possible Wednesday, Thursday and early Friday.

* Albright presented a slideshow of photos of road problems reported by resident Mike Goucher on and near Unique Road.

* Commissioners went into a 5-minute executive session with Register of Deeds Lora Holdridge to discuss matters pertaining to non-elected personnel. No action was taken.