Brock praises County Road Department
Published 12:03 pm Tuesday, January 21, 2025
Judge-Executive Albey Brock praised the efforts of the Bell County Road Department in keeping the roads passable during this month’s winter storms during last week’s Fiscal Court meeting.
“Those guys have done a real good job during those last two weather events. I think you all saw it on the roads. We were blessed that the salt worked and where the system delayed itself a little and it gave us a chance to double presalt and that made a big difference,” he said. “We’re putting salt out faster than what we anticipated but we’re on top of that. We’ll probably run a little over budget on salt this year.”
Magistrate Eddie Saylor asked Brock about the Flash Steelworks project.
“It’s moving right along. We’re about to do the last concrete pour inside where the equipment will sit,” Brock said. “Evrerything is going like it should. They’re still finishing off the power, there’s been a few little kinks on that like you’d expect.”
He added that there were still too many moving parts with the project to set a projected opening date. Saylor asked is Mr. Cola could come to a Fiscal Court meeting to explain all the details of the operation to the magistrates.
Brock said he would invite Mr. Cola, and if he couldn’t make it down on a Tuesday, would at least set up a zoom meeting during an upcoming Fiscal Court meeting.
Saylor also asked if there was any update on the Boone’s Ridge wildlife center.
Brock said he had spoken to Green Construction, who is building the sewer treatment plant at the site.
“Bo told us he could get his part done, depending on weather, within about eight months,” Brock said. “There are two very capable local contractors that are doing the job, so that’s encouraging.”
Boone’s Ridge is now targeting opening in the spring of 2026.
Saylor also asked County Attorney Chris Douglas about the resolutions in honor of Jennifer Jones and Harold Harbin. Douglas said they were ready and Brock said they would reach out to the families to see when they could attend a Fiscal Court meeting so they could be present when the resolutions are adopted.
In other business the Court:
- accepted Watts Road Left into the Bell County Road System in District 2 and Taylor Roots Road into the Bell County Road System in District 5.
- approve payment to Green Construction Co. for the amount of $180,017.54 for Invoice #19, and Chu-Con, Inc. for the amount of $171,105.95 for Invoice #2 and Invoice #3 for work on the Flash Steel project (to be paid when funds are available);
- hired Adam Kelly and Gary Wilson as full-time workers at the Bell County Road Department at $13.00 per hour effective January 16;
- hired Tammy Frederick and Robert Young as part-time Deputy Jailers at $9.00 per hour effective January 16;
- changed Jerry Barlow and Tyler Hammons from part-time Deputy Jailer to full-time Deputy Jailer effective January 16;
- approved the calendar year 2024 Fee Account Quarterly Report and Annual Settlement from the Bell County Sheriff’s Office;
- approved the 2023 Bell County Gas Settlement and 2024 Bell County Gas and Oil Settlement from the Bell County Sheriff’s Office;
• accepted checks in the amount of $458,645.41 from Sheriff Mitch Williams and in the amount of $31,329.61 from County Clerk Debbie Gambrel.