Road work tops commissioners' list of concerns

Mississippi County news

CHARLESTON -- A bad culvert and bad gravel were the chief topics of attention for Mississippi County commissioners during their regular meeting Thursday.

Commissioners first discussed a request from John Moreton to replace a culvert in a road ditch on County Road 308.

For one thing, the 60-inch diameter culvert is too big, commissioners agreed. The culvert, which replaced an old bridge that was taken out, was used probably because that was what was on hand, according to commissioners.

Martin Lucas, commissioner, estimated there is less than 300 acres draining into the ditch, however.

Commissioner Homer Oliver said a 30-inch culvert would probably be more than adequate as some of the drainage in that area goes an alternate route.

A second issue is the bottom of the 60-inch culvert has rusted out so it is not only too large but is also now too low.

Oliver said they need to remove the old culvert, build up a new base and put in a new, smaller culvert.

Lucas said he will look at the culvert and the drainage situation and advise what size culvert should be used to replace it.

Commissioners next turned their attention to a request from Bob Munson to address a quarter-mile stretch of gravel on Brandon Lane in the St. James Estates subdivision near East Prairie.

"Bob's got a real problem out there on that road," Lucas confirmed.

The red gravel on top of a snowstone gravel base has too much clay as well as rocks that are too large and can't be crushed, according to commissioners. The result is the road surface is staying wet and has deep ruts.

"Can't grade the rocks out," Munson said. "And it won't compact."

Presiding Commissioner Jim Blumenberg said the best solution is grade down to the snowstone and remove all the red gravel. "It's not going to dry out," he said.

Lucas said this isn't the first time the county has received a load of red gravel with too much clay in it from the quarry in Dexter. "You get a good load and you get three bad ones," he said.

Oliver said the county hasn't been able to find a good source of red gravel lately.

Lucas said he doesn't understand why some county residents object to having snowstone gravel for a driving surface because of the white dust when red gravel has dust of its own -- it is just red instead of white. Commissioners agreed the snowstone makes a better road surface.

In other business Thursday:

* Commissioners approved a collector surplus tax distribution of $685.62 to a family member of a deceased owner of property that was auctioned off for unpaid property tax.

"She was one of the heirs," Blumenberg said. "All the others signed it over to her."

This amount is the balance left over after the unpaid taxes were satisfied, according to county officials.

* As Lucas has the specifications for excavation on Ditch 30 ready, the county will soon advertise for bids on the project.

Officials will open bids for the project on Dec. 20.