Perry County Commission Report - October

By: Gabby Reed, WOPC

The Perry County Commissioners approved three budget addendums last night. The first was an $8,950 grant given to the Chamber of Commerce for website changes and other efforts to attract tourism to the county. The library also received a grant worth $4,214, while the trustee’s commission had $1,000 reallocated from one line item to another within its budget.  Quarterly reports from the highway department, courthouse, and schools were delivered to commissioners on Friday. Although commissioners were unhappy with the lack of time to review the reports, they approved each one unanimously.  Two private roads were brought to the commissioners attention in hopes that the county would take over their maintenance. One was approved and the other was not. An existing road in a newer subdivision of the Hurricane Creek community was approved to be transitioned to a county road. A resident of the Pond Hollow community spoke out about an initiative to construct a road to connect to Pretty Creek Road so that others would not have to use a private road that is part of her property on Deer Run Road. Two months out of the year, Pond Hollow Road floods and Deer Run Road is the only way in or out. The county can’t do much to construct this road without residents along the private road donating land for the project.  The commissioners discussed an engineering contract for expansion of the landfill. Currently, the landfill is in need of an additional 5-10 acres of permitted space on the back of where they are located. The contract with Barge Design will not exceed $119,000 or 100 acres. The mayor is hoping to get the cost below $100,000 by not utilizing all of Barge Design’s services.  The city is hoping to extend water lines to rural areas along Hurricane Creek Road and Rock House Road. Two men brought up concerns that the water line would attract people to the area who would buy land, develop it, and increase property values in the county. Mayor John Carroll assured the men that the water line extension project’s primary objective is to help the elderly individuals who live in these rural areas, who suffer in cold months when pipes are more prone to freezing.