Concerns regarding overhanging trees were addressed during the weekly commission meeting on Monday, April 27, with commissioners ultimately referring the property owners back to the township they reside in.
Donald Pennington expressed concerns he had regarding trees overhanging 36th Street in Fall River, near Y30 Road, further noting that his camper barely clears the overhang. He shared that he had previously met with Gary Kaskill with the Salt Springs Township and the property owner, Don Bosken; however, it was shared that the trees wouldn’t be trimmed. Bosken later shared that he wasn’t partial to the trees, but wanted to verify where the property lines were prior to trimming the trees.
Bosken, who owns four lots on the north side of the road, shared that he plans to survey the property in the coming years as he plans to build a home and retire to the area. However, he wasn’t ready to do the survey just yet, as he is still approximately three years out. Concerns about other property owners doing construction projects in right-of-ways were also noted. County Counselor Paul Dean offered a compromise, noting that the property owners could split the survey fee and get it completed sooner rather than later.
Commissioners later noted that this issue was a township issue and not a matter for the county commission. “Trim the trees and go on,” stated Commissioner Roy Ballard. Commissioners also noted that if the tree limbs were overhanging the gravel roadway, then it was over the right-of-way and should be trimmed. “The township has the authority to cut anything off that is over the road. Plain and simple,” stated Paul Dean.
County Clerk Deann McCaffree and Treasurer Stacie Pearse shared concerns regarding the current county vehicles that their departments utilize when attending various trainings within the state. It was noted that employees are reluctant to use either the Tahoe or the Trailblazer as they have had poor experiences with them in the past, where the vehicles have become inoperable. Clerk McCaffree shared a quote for a vehicle in state surplus; however, she believed the vehicle had been spoken for. Discussion continued regarding diagnosing the vehicles and possibly repairing them as well as continuing to look for a reliable vehicle that the Treasurer’s, Clerk’s, Register of Deeds and the Health Department offices could utilize when traveling to various events. Funding for the vehicle would come from the department’s equipment reserve accounts.
Greenwood County Emergency Manager Levi Vinson shared the annual approval for Genasys, for the Greenwood County Alert System. The commission approved the annual cost of $2,677. This year will be the third year of the five-year contract.
Vinson also gave an update regarding the recent tornado warning in northern Greenwood County. He shared that questions had been received as to why the sirens weren’t sounded in Madison. Vinson noted that several trained spotters were watching the storm as it traveled through the county and watched the shelf cloud. He noted that no defining features were displayed and for that reason, sirens weren’t activated. Outdoor warning sirens in Greenwood County are activated when there is a confirmed or imminent threat to the area covered by that specific siren, such as a tornado on the ground or a rapidly developing, visually confirmed rotation moving directly toward the population center. Remember that sirens are designed to alert people who are outdoors, and they are only one part of our warning system. Residents are encouraged to rely on multiple alert methods, including NOAA Weather Radios, Greenwood County Alerts, and trusted weather apps.
During the Road and Bridge report, Administrative Assistant Kassie Lazar presented three tire bids for various trucks and trailers. The commission reviewed bids from T&W Tire of Park City, totaling $11,499.65; West Creek Repair of Hamilton, totaling $15,950; and Rock’s 54 Tire & Oil of Eureka, totaling $13,125. The commission approved the lower in-county bid from Rock’s 54 Tire & Oil.
Commissioner Ballard shared an update with the board regarding recent road and bridge work in his district. He shared that over the weekend, the Madison area received a lot of water quickly and some concerns were made apparent. Ballard noted that Road and Bridge Supervisor Allen Greenwood was aware and planned to visit the area early this week to review.
The commission received a road closing petition for a dead-end road on N Road, south of 75th Street, in Otter Creek Township. After accepting the petition, the commission approved a road viewing on Monday, May 18, at 11 a.m.
Additional bids were still being gathered for a spray truck for the Noxious Weed Department.
A 10-minute executive session for legal matters was held with the commission and County Counselor Dean. No action was taken.
The April 20 meeting minutes; Special Payable for April 27, totaling $2,774.06; Regular Payables for May 1, totaling $149,219.01; and Regular Payroll for May 1, totaling $172,327.06; were approved as presented.
The treasurer’s report was reviewed.
The next Greenwood County Commission meeting is slated for Monday, May 4 at 9 a.m. in the commission meeting room in the Greenwood County Courthouse.
