County approves 28E pact with MP for street work

BY BROOKS TAYLOR

Mt. Pleasant News

For years, the City of Mt. Pleasant and Henry County have worked hand-in-hand on snow removal and maintenance on a number of streets and roads, which pass through both jurisdictions.

The pact has been a ?gentlemen?s agreement,? containing no written documentation ? until Tuesday.

That?s when the Henry County Board of Supervisors, during its regular meeting, approved a 28E agreement with the city on shared responsibility for snow removal and maintenance on numerous streets and roads that impact both entities. The Mt. Pleasant City Council approved the agreement during its Feb. 10 meeting.

?The agreement really doesn?t change anything,? explained Henry County Engineer Jake Hotchkiss. ?It just lists who is responsible for snow removal in the winter and maintenance during the other times of the year. It is good for the city because they don?t have to purchase a motor grader.

?We just wanted it on paper, so if there is a changing of the guard, it was written down,? Hotchkiss continued. ?It gives a clearer understanding of who does what.?

Supervisor Marc Lindeen asked whether the county was either responsible for snow removal or maintenance on a street that was entirely in the city?s jurisdiction. Hotchkiss said the county was not.

?I think we are all in agreement with what we have done in the past, but we had no formal agreement,? Gary See, supervisor chairman, said.

The city and county will share snow removal and maintenance on 15 streets and roads.

On seven other roadways, the city will handle snow removal and the county will take care of routine maintenance.

Those seven shared streets include South Walnut Street from Harvest Drive to South Grand Avenue; South Locust Street from South Street to Harvest Drive; Carnahan Road from Courtland Street to the end of the road; 255th Street from Grand Avenue east to Lexington Avenue; James Avenue from Winfield Avenue north to Jewel Avenue; Jewel Avenue from James Avenue north to the end of the road; and Clay Street from Hickory Avenue east to the sealcoat.

According to other articles in the 28E agreement, the city will reimburse the county 50 percent of labor, equipment and material costs for gravel resurfacing and spot rock for South Walnut Street, South Locust Street, Carnahan Road, 255th Street, James Avenue and Jewel Avenue.

The city will reimburse the county 100 percent of labor, equipment and material costs for gravel resurfacing and spot rock on Clay Street.

Hotchkiss? weekly secondary-roads department report was the board?s only discussion item.

Last week?s activity by the secondary-roads department included working on roads, hauling resurfacing rock to rural roads and dispatching a cold-patching crew to Winfield Avenue. County workers also removed a tree that fell on 250th Street due to high winds.

Lindeen had the only subcommittee report, having attended the recent meeting of the Great River Waste Facility board. Lindeen noted that in a year or so, the facility would be converting methane gas to electricity, which could be sold on the grid.

?We have a lot of things that can play out if this works out to be a financial advantage to us,? Lindeen commented.

The supervisors will meet again in regular session on Thursday, Feb. 25, at 9 a.m., in the Henry County Courthouse.