County to receive money for street

By STEPH TAHTINEN

Mt. Pleasant News

The Henry County Board of Supervisors had a light agenda after the long holiday weekend, with an update from County Engineer Bill Belzer and the third reading of an amendment to the county?s rural solid waste/trash ordinance as the only scheduled agenda items.

During his update, Belzer informed the supervisors that the county will be receiving $1,336,000 in funds for the reconstruction of 220th Street in 2016. Belzer noted that the estimated cost for the project is $3 million, and Henry County will be responsible for the remainder of the cost, about $2 million, which will be taken from the Farm to Market funds.

Belzer noted that sign crews have started to replace faded signs around the county, and in one day a crew replaced 48 signs.

?That?s moving,? said Belzer.

Supervisor Chairman Kent White pointed out that in an eight-hour work day, that?s one sign every 10 minutes.

Belzer also summarized other road work that crews have accomplished in the past week, such as hauling rip rap to a couple of washouts that have occurred around the county.

Supervisor Marc Lindeen questioned the presence of washouts, as there has not been much rain lately. Belzer explained that the washouts occurred around the ends of tubes when water has run through them.

?These have happened over years,? said Belzer.

During the public comments portion of the meeting, New London resident Ron Osborne voiced his displeasure at the meeting?s agenda not appearing on the website.

County Auditor Shelly Barber commented that the agenda had been posted on the website; however, it was linked incorrectly so it was not in the correct place. She said that as soon as Derek Wellington, who works in her office and was the one who posted the agenda, noticed the mistake he corrected it.

She also noted that the agenda had been posted in the courthouse on Friday and sent to the media on Saturday. This is all that is required by law, as the website is not an official posting place for the agenda.

Osborne asked the supervisors to consider making the website an official posting place.

?The website is available 24-7, and the courthouse site is limited to when the courthouse is open,? said Osborne.

Henry County resident Steve Wilson commented that he seconded Osborne?s request, as he was also disappointed the agenda was not on the website.

In other business, the supervisors approved the third reading of an amendment to the rural solid waste/trash ordinance. This amendment updates the wording of the ordinance to match the current trash situation.