Published June 17, 2015

Road Dept. goes to 4-day week

Courtesy The Wiregrass Farmer

A proposal to take the County Road Department to a 4-day work week was approved at the regular meeting last week.

The Commission discussed the idea extensively at the May workshop meeting and talked even more at the June meeting. One change was made to the original proposal.

If a week has a holiday in during the work week, the Road Department will revert to a 5-day 8-hour day work week. This makes sure the employees get the full benefit of holiday pay.

“Four 8-hour days and take the holiday,” Commissioner Brad Calhoun said.

“Yeah. I like that better,” said Commissioner Joe Burgess.

In other business:

• A request to close Sconyers Road, a cut through from Highway 41 to Industrial between Ashburn and Sycamore was tabled. Tim Floyd, represented Sconyers Gin asked the road be closed. Commission Daryl Hall objected, saying the road is important to the companies in the old Industrial Park.

• The budget for Indigent Defense next year is $72K, up from $69K last year. The County Commission has no control over this budget request and pretty much has to approve whatever is asked for. Indigent Defense Superior Court defendants who cannot afford an attorney.

• Airport work is expected to be complete by the end of this month. A crop-duster has apparently been using the airport, despite it being officially closed. “According to Mrs. Wynn, the airport is closed., He shouldn’t be using it,” Commissioner Hall said. “If the airport is closed, we should not be allowing anyone to use the airport. Commissioner Nick Denham said the flying service should be allowed to continue as it will likely be the only regular user of the airport.

• The Joint Comprehensive Plan, a document that serves as a development guide for Turner County but not a set of rules, needs to be updated. Ashburn, Rebecca and Sycamore will have input into the plan as well.

• The County is looking into a company to come in and crush concrete slabs being stored at the Road Department. The crushed material will be used on road instead of buying gravel.