No decisions on Rock Building, yet
Published 10:26 pm Monday, January 26, 2009
No decisions have been made yet, but the Pike County Commission is one step closer to appraising the county’s long-standing Rock Building.
A proposal was made two weeks ago by Commissioner Ray Goodson to have the Rock Building appraised and sold, but Monday night, commissioners still weren’t ready to discuss their ideas.
“We’re no further than we were last time,” said Commission Chairman Robin Sullivan.
Sullivan said since the building is owned by local government, they would have to determine the cost of getting it appraised before they can move forward.
“We’re going to try to find out what that cost would be and go from there,” Sullivan said.
The commission also did not address a proposal Goodson made previously to grant raises to other employees in offices that had individuals retire under the early incentive program.
“I’m on the losing side, and I can’t beat the others,” Goodson said.
But, Goodson, who made the proposal to grant raises to employees in the commission office and the road department, only suggested it after he was the only one to vote against bumping up Revenue Commission employees’ salaries two weeks ago.
He pointed out in the meeting Monday night the money approved then was not budgeted for the year, which is another reason why he was against it then.
Chief Financial Officer Debra Gibson said the money paid to the eight county employees who accepted the early retirement incentive has already been dispersed, so the money isn’t budgeted for more raises.
Also in their meeting, the commission approved resolutions for 14 road construction projects, which will be submitted to the state if President Obama’s stimulus plan is approved.
“In hopes we get the money, we want to be ready,” said County Engineer Russell Oliver. “We want to get the ball rolling as fast as we can.”
In previous meetings, Oliver stressed several roads need to be resurfaced and bridges need to be repaired, but the county is facing deficits in road funding.
Even if the stimulus plan does not pass, Oliver said the resolutions will be good for three years and could potentially receive some other type of federal funding.
County Roads 2246, 2214, 4408 and 4409, 3304, 7708, 6600, 5513 and 6628 and 6630 were approved for resurfacing.
And resolutions were signed for bridge replacements over Big Creek on County Road 2228, Tributary on County Road 2228, Beaver Pond Branch on County Road 5521, Tributary to Whitewater Creek on County Road 3338, Mill Creek on County Road 1116 and Indian Creek on County Road 2214.
The Pike County Commission also rescheduled its next meeting.
Members of the commission will attend a celebration dinner in honor Buddy Sharpless in Montgomery as its regularly scheduled time.
They will meet Tuesday, Feb. 10 at 5:15 p.m. in the upstairs of the Pike County Health Department.