The flickers of disagreement blazed up as council discussed a change that would accept any road that was built to county codes in 2003 or 2004 into the county road system. Passage of the change meant that gravel roads would be accepted, although later ordinances banned unpaved roads from being accepted into the county road system.
County Councilman Bill Waldrop stood firmly on the side of keeping the ordinance language requiring only paved roads.
Councilman Mike Hawkins countered that paving roads could price property out of the reach of many potential landowners.
Councilman Edgar Baker joined in the discussion on Waldrop's side, saying he felt roads coming into the system should be paved for the county not to lose money.
In the end, Waldrop and Baker stood alone in opposing the change to the ordinance, with the remaining council approving its second reading.
But the rows about roads were not over, and more sparks flew as council discussed putting Glade Spring Road into the county system.
When the road was built in 2004, then-Publics Works Director Ron Lilly approved the road as having been built to county standards. But the gravel road that services 31 lots with 12 homes was not taken into the county road system. The road, a dead-end road into a subdivision off Coley Todd Road in Little Mountain, is eight-10ths of a mile long and ends in a cul-de-sac.
Public Works Director Tommy Whitehead said it would cost around $20,000 for county workers to haul gravel to the road and spread it. He added that the lot owners should have kept the road up.
Dissension was stoked as Whitehead said the state Department of Health and Environmental Control had not issued a permit for the road.
Councilman John David Dawkins took issue with Whitehead's statement, saying that in a road committee meeting, just prior to the 7 p.m. County Council meeting, Whitehead had said he had not talked to DHEC about the matter.
Dawkins questioned when Whitehead had received the information-and questioned his honesty.
In the end, Waldrop and Baker again stood alone together in the “nay” category voting against accepting the road into the county system. The remaining councilmen were in favor of the measure.
This does not appear to be the end of the specific road discussions as Hawkins added as a side note that he has worked on getting Lever Chapel Church Road into the county road system for eight years, and hopes to do so before his term expires in December.
Heated talk continued as council discussed a gift of land from the Town of Prosperity to extend the parking lot for the Prosperity Fire Department. Currently, the department has five parking spaces.
The county would assume part of the property to use for fire department parking, and keep it as a gravel lot, with the town using the rest of the area for public parking.
Baker questioned a pit and four foundations that once held a water tower on the sitem, as council discussed the need to chisel away the foundation pillars which are slightly above the grade of the property.
“We are talking more than just a chisel and a hammer,” Whitehead interjected.
Talks gravitated around a jackhammer being rented or borrowed but Whitehead said if the county broke it, they would have to pay for it.
Dawkins said about a year ago the county received a bid of $1,200 for the tower to be blown up.
Whitehead questioned the bid amount.
Dawkins suggested, at that point, that maybe the council needed an executive session to discuss Whitehead's employment adding he needed “help with his attitude.”
County Administrator Wayne Adams said he had concerns over old pipes leading to the pit.
The whole debate wrapped up when Hawkins suggested council postpone discussing the issue until more information was gathered.
In other issues discussed by council:
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