Supervisors approve bridge project cost increases; Authorizes order against local developer for acti

At Monday’s meeting of the Pearl River County Board of Supervisors, the board received updates on bridges and roads from County Engineer Les Dungan and Road Manager Charlie Schielder.

Dungan (pictured) presented a request for a change order for the bridge replacement project on Shennadoah Road, which is a dead end road. The change order was for the installation of and removal of a temporary bridge once the project is completed for a cost of $37,000.00. The change order would bring the total project cost to $218,000.00 Dungan explained that the bridge is needed as an onsite diversion to allow traffic to come and go while the new bridge is being constructed. The request was approved.

Dungan also asked for approval to increase the cost of the bridge replacement project on Anchor Lake Road. He told the board that the original plan was to remove the existing bridge, drive new pilings, and reuse the slabs from the bridge which they have done on other projects in the past. He explained that the new bridge is designed to be wider and Dungan said that the county surplus of old slabs does not have the correct inventory to be used on the bridge. He said he has negotiated with the state and they will allow for a cost increase to use new slabs for this bridge. The funding increase, using state aid funds, will be $67,000.00. The board approved the increase.

Dungan presented an order to the board for a professional services agreement for his services which is required by MDOT as a final step for the county to receive Emergency Road and Bridge Fund money for the five projects that were approved by MDOT for Pearl River County.

Road Manager Charile Schielder and District 3 Supervisor Hudson Holliday gave the board an update on discussions they had recently about how the road department might be able to expedite paving projects.

Currently, the county has five trucks and at times eleven county employees working a paving project have to wait for asphalt.

“It’s the weakest link,” Schielder stated in explaining the waiting that occurs while the trucks have to go reload and come back.

Charile Schielder (standing) discussing road projects with the board.

Holliday and Schielder discussed the advantage it would be to have contract haulers to fill in when needed in order to make more efficient use of the county equipment and workers. The board agreed to seek rates from local haulers in order to know the costs for planning of paving work for the upcoming projects in the county.

Holliday brought up a situation that did not sit well with him in regards to the Lake Hillsdale area in regards to actions taken by an individual.

“Mark Gibson has brought two old raggedy trailers and put them in the entrance way to Lake Hillsdale to try to intimidate those people over there to do what he wants them to do,” he stated. Holliday said he sent Gibson a message last Saturday (a week ago) informing him that he wanted them moved. Holliday said Gibson’s actions were an intentional act to diminish the property values and quality of life at Hillsdale.

“We are all working hard to improve that area and grow that area and this (Gibson actions) are in contrast to what we are trying to do,” Holliday stated.

Holliday made a motion for a board order demanding the trailers be moved by Wednesday, March 6th. In the event, they are not moved, Holliday wants the board to take action against Gibson to have them moved. Holliday said he had went over this with Board Attorney Joe Montgomery earlier in the day and Montgomery was fine with the actions noted by Holliday. The board approved the order.