Todd Fiscal Court approved first reading of an ordinance Friday morning that removes 10 roads from the county road maintenance plan.
Foster Road, Earl Almy Road, Hurricane Hill Road, Bailey Stokes Road, Coursey Road, Willie Hall Road, the gravel four-tenths of a mile portion of Phillips Road, R Lutrell Lane, W Wells Road and an unimproved portion of Old Butler Road would be removed from the road plan, if the ordinance is approved on second reading March 13.
A public hearing was held prior to the meeting, where landowners opposed the measure for W. Wells Road and Foster Road.
John Tabor says he and the other stakeholders on W. Wells Road pay their taxes and he doesn’t believe bush-hogging two tenths of a mile of right of way and providing occasional gravel is too great of a burden on the county.
Judge-Executive Todd Mansfield disagreed that the ordinance closes the roads, saying anyone with land on those roads would have to be provided an easement by state law. He sent the road department supervisor and two other people to each of the roads and says they determined discontinuing the roads would not create a public inconvenience.
Landowners on Foster Road expressed concern about property values being decreased by the action and about possible disputes over easements.
The ordinance was approved unanimously on first reading.
Todd County Emergency Management Director Daniel Smith says he continues to be told there’s a very low risk locally for the Coronavirus to become a major issue, but there continues to be contact with state officials.
Jailer Jeff Penick received permission to receive competitive bids for purchase of a new fire alarm system, a new control board and for a contractor to run the jail’s food services in the next fiscal year.