PINEVILLE — The Bell County Fiscal Court held a public hearing in its meeting Tuesday on renaming the portion of Kentucky 987, going 4.5 miles over Laurel Hill, as the Edmus McGeorge Memorial Road. While Judge Executive Albey Brock said he had some phone calls objecting to the renaming of the road, there was no one present that argued against sending the petition to the state. There was no objection from the magistrates or public present, so the petition was accepted. Since it is a state highway, the petition now goes to Frankfort and through a political process, before the road can be renamed.
Blacktop leading to “The Bridge To Nowhere” bid is to be released next week. There are three parts to the contract and realigning U.S. 119 to allow large vehicles to exit and enter the highway is to be the first part. “They have told me that all three projects will be out for bid by Thanksgiving,” Judge Executive Albey Brock told the magistrates at Tuesday’s meeting. The cost of the project, coming mostly from grants, will cost $1.9 million.
The court approved a resolution for the Bell County Flood Mitigation Project at Fourmile, where property owners received settlements for their land.
Brad Allen was promoted to full-time deputy jailer effective Tuesday.
The court approved $51,005.50 to D & H Contracting for work performed on the Chichester Sewer Project in Middlesboro. Vaughn & Melton Consulting Engineers was paid $19,520.01 for the same project.
On the Stevens Branch Waterline Extension, Akins Excavating, Inc., was approved payment of $94,516.80 and Vaughn & Melton Consulting Engineers was paid $17,633.50 for work on the same project.
A waterline extension for Cowans Branch was awarded to Akins Excavating, Inc., in the amount of $73,163.50.
Brock stopped the meeting to explain why Vaughn & Melton Consulting Engineers of Middlesboro had received contracts to design the county’s water and sewer lines.
“Waterline extension work, sewerline extension work is basically continuation work. They have done a good job in the past with our waterlines and extensions and the monies the engineering firm gets for waterline and sewer work is based on the overall percentage of the profit. They are not paid any more than any other engineering firm would be paid that had that job. It isn’t that they got paid $17,633.50, for Steven’s Branch, and another engineering firm outside this county could have done it for less. That’s important that everyone realizes that. We are keeping the money here locally by continuing to use them. They are not getting paid any more or less than any other firm would be getting paid. I have to admit I have often asked that question, when I was not sitting in this seat and didn’t fully understand how actually water and sewer worked,” explained Brock.
Vaughn & Melton selects the company to do the work, by bid. Often they receive a number of bids on a project and Akins Excavating is often the one bidding lower on the projects. It is Vaughn and Melton that lets the contract out for bid and the fiscal court either approves or denies their selection.
Judge Brock says anyone with questions about a project to call his office and he would answer their questions.
Continuing with business, the court approved payment of $1,250 to Kentucky Infrastructure Authority for the Binghamtown Sewer Project along with payment of $625 to Kentucky Infrastructure Authority for the Cowans Branch Waterline Extension.
The fiscal court approved payment of $2,500 to PRIDE for the PRIDE Environmental Education Outreach Program for elementary schools in Bell County.
Magistrates approved placing Ethel Hobbs Lane, Payton Lane and Chester Miracle Road, in District 1, into the county’s road system. They also voted to accept E. Saylor Lane and Bullins Lane in District 2, into the county’s road system as well as Cecil Partin Lane in District 5.
The fiscal approved funds from Sheriff Bruce Bennett for Property Tax from November 1-12 and franchise tax for a total of $84,804.17, along with October Fees of $24,604.42. The court also received funds from County Court Clerk Becky Blevins.
C.J. Harte is a Correspondent for the Daily News. He can be reached via e-mail at charte@middlesborodailynews.com.
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