Citizens in the Reilly Springs area of Hopkins County met on Monday night to discuss maintenance
of the roads in their part of the county.
Citizens Discuss Roads at Monday Night
Meeting in Reilly Springs
by: Bobby McDonald
There was good news and bad news, when citizens from the Reilly Springs Community, in south-central Hopkins County met at a meeting called by Hopkins County Commissioner Precinct #1, Beth Wisenbaker, and Precinct #1 Justice of the Peace, Yvonne King. "We just wanted to let everyone know the plans for road maintenance in the area," expressed Wisenbaker.
"We felt that an informed public is much more conducive to getting things done, than those who don't know what is going on," expressed King. "Thus, we thought it a good idea to meet with you and hear your opinions and your ideas about the schedule of maintenance on the county roads, in the area."
"The good news is that I'm scheduled to begin some maintenance in the next two or three weeks in the area," allowed Wisenbaker. "But, the bad news is that my road and bridge maintenance funds have been cut $85,000.00 in the new budget!"
"How many of you feel like you can afford your taxes to be raised?" asked Wisenbaker.
No one raised their hand!
"No matter how hard I try to twist a dollar, I can only do so much!" proclaimed Wisenbaker.
County Commissioner Precinct #1, Beth Wisenbaker, fields a question at
Monday night's meeting in Reilly Springs.
"I have 217 miles of road to cover in Precinct #1 and I have an $865,000.00 budget," continued Wisenbaker. "I've cut my employees from 8 to 6 and all of you know what the price of oil has done. You know every time you fill-up your vehicle at the pump. When I went into office 14 years ago, oil was at $17.50 per barrel and today, it is at $74.00 per barrel, but my budget has only increased about $200,000.00 in that time period. Those are the facts that we must live with, in this budget!"
Citizens in the group then began to outline a number of "problem areas" in the Reilly Springs area. From areas that were "dirt" based roads, that needed holes filled, to "mudding" by people going up and down the roads, when it is wet. "I don't know if you know it or not, but it is like I-30, down some of these county roads, after 11:00 p.m., on Friday and Saturday nights," expressed a group of citizens. "We need some county patrols in this area, if possible, to 'curb' some of the things that are happening in the area, when people should be asleep!"
Wisenbaker expressed she would "relay the message to local law enforcement" to "step-up" patrols in that area, when they could.
Other's in the group asked for their sections of the road to be "bladed," and others expressed the need for additional drainage ditches to be cleaned-out, as well as some trees that needed to be trimmed higher, to prevent equipment and trucks from being "hit" when traveling the area.
Next, citizens asked why that equipment from one precinct couldn't be used in another. "I pay county taxes, not precinct #1 or precinct #2 taxes," expressed one concerned citizen. "Why can't if a piece of equipment isn't being used in one precinct, it be brought to our precinct for use?"
"Especially, when we're being informed that things are extremely 'tight' in the budget, isn't now the time for the county commissioners to work together, share equipment, and look for ways to 'cut corners,' rather than everyone having their own equipment and own budgets?" inserted another citizen. "Personally, I think it is time to combine all of the precincts and schedule equipment to be used all across the county, and utilize it for the benefit of the entire county, rather than equipment being idle in one precinct and someone else needing it in another precinct!"
Justice of the Peace, Yvonne King, passes out maps of Precinct #1 at Monday
night's meeting in Reilly Springs.
"That's called a 'unit system,' and the idea has some merit," expressed Wisenbaker. "But, it would prevent you calling me up and asking for a problem to be 'fixed' on your part of the road, and the equipment might already be scheduled somewhere in precinct #4, all the way across the county."
"That's where the scheduling part comes in and I feel that the commissioners need a road plan, for 5 years, 10 years, ect., just like any other business!" countered the citizen. "With budget restraints, it's time for the commissioners court to work together and not be four independent groups, 'warring' for funds. It's time to share and share alike, and streamline some of the things that can save money!"
"It's come to the time that we need to look at a road and bridge maintenance department, that takes care of all the roads in the county," continued some in the group. "Other county's have done it, why can't we?"
Wisenbaker informed the group that anything like that would take a petition of the county citizens and voters, to begin.
In other discussions, Yvonne King informed the group that there is now a recycling program for aluminum cans, that is being started by a $37,000.00 grant, through Sulphur Springs High School. You can now take your cans to have them recycled and the money generated through the program will be used to fund student scholarships.
King also informed the group that Wisenbaker has a dumpster at her precinct barn, on Hwy-19, where items that need to be thrown away, can be taken. "They have to be approved items, so you need to make certain it isn't tires, batteries, or hazardous materials, but it's a service that is available, for trash and other items that need to be thrown away," stated King.
King then asked her neighbors about instituting a "Clean-up Day" in the community, possibly on a Saturday morning. No definite plans were made for an organized effort, with most indicating they would maintain around their own place and Wisenbaker would bring a dumpster to a central location, where the trash could be dumped.
"It was a good meeting and I received some very constructive ideas in maintaining the roads in the area," advised Wisenbaker. "Anytime that you meet the people that you work for, you get ideas and learn of concerns that you didn't know about. That was the purpose of the meeting, and I think we accomplished the objectives tonight!"
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