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County spent $128,000 getting rid of August 2008 flood refuse |
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By Charlie Warner
Argus News Editor
Rick Frank’s department spent $128,000 in a two and one-half month period last fall, trying to help county residents put the August flash floods behind them. The Houston County Environmental Services Director told the county board that’s how much it cost the county to get rid of the avalanche of flood-related solid waste refuse.
“So far, we’ve received about $20,000 from FEMA,” Frank reported during the Feb. 19 county board meeting. “Because we had quite a bit of paperwork to complete with all the haulers and sites required to handle all of the solid waste, we didn’t get everything in to FEMA until the end of December.
“We’ve been told we will be reimbursed 100 percent by FEMA,” Frank added. “But we haven’t seen a lot of the money yet.”
Frank went through a financial report on the five supervised drop-off sites in the county for a three-year period, ending Dec. 31, 2007. He noted that with the exception of the large spike in expenditures late last year, the numbers were about the same as they have been in previous years.
Florescent bulb program
Frank noted his department will be conducting the annual florescent bulb program. County residents will be able to bring up to 10 florescent light tubes or bulbs to any of the five county drop-off sites on April 5 with no charge. The sites will be open from 8 a.m. until 3 p.m.
“This has become a very beneficial program in Houston County,” Frank stated. “When we first started the program, we took in 4,000 to 5,000 bulbs. We’ve taken in as many as 10,000 bulbs one year, but now average about 7,500.”
Frank pointed out that the new high-efficient curly bulbs that are replacing the standard incandescent light bulbs, have mercury in them and must be handled the same way as the long florescent light tubes.
Spring road work ahead
Even through much of the county is blanketed with over two feet of snow, and windchills dropped to minus 35 last week, the county highway department is making plans for spring and summer road projects. Tom Molling, of the county highway department, made a request to advertise for crushed rock, crack filling, seal coating and chloride bids.
“I don’t think we will be seeing a big difference in prices of materials right now. But I don’t know what it will be like later this year. That’s why I’d like to get prices locked in as soon as possible,” Molling told the board.
Molling said he feels the county will be doing more crack filling than normal, due to harsh winter, and all the freeze-thawing that has occurred, which is tough on paved roads.
CSAH 3, 7, and 18 are scheduled to have both crack filling and seal coating done on them this year, according to Molling.
Keep snow off county roads
Molling told the board the county highway department has been having difficulties with some residents blowing or pushing the snow from their driveways onto county roads.
“That’s illegal, and in some cases, we’re about ready to start prosecuting,” he said. “We need to get the word out that what some people are doing is not only illegal, but can be very dangerous. If someone is driving along on a clear road, and suddenly comes upon a large amount of snow in the road, it could cause an accident. I realize we’ve had a lot of snow this winter, and it is getting to be a problem finding places to put it. But please, don’t just put it in the road.”
You can contact Charlie Warner at
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