Pike County supervisors on Friday approved a supplemental agreement and construction change order to patch and prelevel a hazardous area of the western portion of River Ridge Road.
The road project initially included the eastern portion that extends to the Sanderson Farms plant. However, when the trucks used the western part of the road to get to the plant last winter, several portions of asphalt came loose.
This addition will fix several problems on the road, and extend the project’s scope to Highway 570 West.
County engineer Chris Rutter said the project will be a High-Risk Rural Roads project that will be funded through $258,000 in federal funds.
“It came at no expense to the county because the FHWA had designated that a high-risk rural road because of the accidents we had had out there,” Rutter said. “We’ve had multiple accidents on this detour section that has come apart. They went ahead and funded this thing to extend that project.”
Rutter said the road will be patched, preleveled and restriped. Also, every patch will cover the road’s full width. “It’ll look like a brand new paved stretch.”
The board’s approval is pending a review of the agreement by board members and board attorney Wayne Dowdy’s stamp of approval.
Pending that, the addition has to be approved by the contractor, the Office of State Aid Road Construction and state aid and FHWA.
District 1 Supervisor Tazwell Bowsky did not attend the meeting.
In other business, the board:
• Approved final payment to Jordan Crain in the amount of $64,131 and release of retainage in the amount of $7,596 for work on the County Bridge Rehabilitation project on Cowart-Price Road.
“We have looked at that bridge. everything is completed,” Rutter said. “The roadway looks good. We’re going to go ahead and close our the retainage and release his bond.”
• Approved an advertisement for a part-time secretary position for the Southwest Mississippi Narcotics Enforcement Unit. Current secretary Torrie Givens will leave her post in July.
• Approved two pauper burials
• Approved an Internet service agreement with Cable One. The county uses NETDOOR, but data processing manager Richard McKenzie said the service is no longer adequate.
• Noticed information regarding bridge postings.
• Voted 3-1, with District 3 Supervisor Chuck Lambert opposed, to purchase an ad in the Enterprise-Journal’s 1-55th homecoming section. Lambert opposed the county purchase of the ad, but did give the board a check for his portion of the ad cost citing high regard for the military unit.
• Noticed certificates of liability insurance for Neel-Schaffer, including professional, general, automobile, umbrella and employers’ liability, as well as workers’ compensation.
• Considered but did not take action on donation of relief supplies to Holmes County. Dowdy informed the board that he did not know of a legal statute that would allow the county to make such a donation.
Pike County Civil Defense Director Richard Coghlan said he will work on combining donations from other avenues. People that want to donate can contact Coghlan at 684-3564, where he will redirect callers to the proper contacts.
• Approved the payroll and claim dockets for May 31.
• Approved payment to Richard Alford for a right-of-way on Emerald State Line Road.
• Approved a Waste Tire Grant application.
• Approved a $267 travel advance for Pike County Coroner Percy Pittman to attend the Mississippi Coroners’ Summer Conference June 22-25.
• Took no action on a land purchase discussed in executive session.
