Compromise Prevails At County Commission Meeting

by KEVIN HALPERN


Compromise took center stage Tuesday night when the Cannon County Commission met in special session at the courthouse.

The agenda item which garnered the most discussion, and brought out the most citizens to the meeting, was reconsideration of Lake Hollow Road being accepted as a county road.

At its July 18 meeting, commissioners unanimously approved a motion to accept Lake Hollow Road as a county road.

However, six county commissioners expressed concern about that action to County Executive Mike Gannon, asking that it be reconsidered. The concern of the commissioners was the cost to the county to tar and chip the road.

Developer Newburn Hayes, who had been working to have the road included in the county system for a number of years, said Tuesday that he felt as though he had done everything required to have Lake Hollow Road designated as a county road. The road serves approximately 20 property owners.

Hayes put up a $12,000 note at 10 percent yearly interest in 2004 to have the road tarred and chipped. Some commissioners were concerned, however, because that amount will not cover the full cost of the project, which some estimates have as being $37,000.

While no action was taken on reconsidering Lake Hollow Road as a county road, a compromise was reached between Hayes, the commission and the county highway department on paving the road.

Hayes will pay $19,323 toward the cost, with the county picking up the rest of the tab. The highway commission agreed to complete the project within six months of receiving payment from Hayes.

"I think it should be an integrity issue and not a money issue," one Lake Hollow Road resident stated. "I think we need to look at the truth here, and Mr. Hayes is a man of integrity.

Another item on the agenda which sparked debate among commissioners was a recommendation forwarded to the commission by the Cannon County Planning Commission on Aug. 25 concerning revisions to the "Procedures and Standards for the Acceptance and Classification of New and Existing Roads" in Cannon County.

The recommendation of the planning commission was that the county commission amend the standards to allow proposed subdivision roads to be constructed of tar and chip (rather than asphalt concrete) if:

• The subdivision consists of of six lots or less and ends in a cul-de-sac.

• The existing county road that connects to the subdivision is presently a tar and chip road.

Further, subdivisions that do not meet the criteria must have their roads constructed with asphalt concrete as indicated in the county road standards, and any future extension of the road will require upgrading both sections to current county road standards.

While the commissions voted down a motion to allow roads to be constructed of tar and chip if a subdivision consists of six lots or less, they did approve a subsequent motion to allow it for subdivisions of four lots or less.

In other action the commission:

• Approved a petition for road acceptance and classification of Melton Lane and Twin Court roads.

• Approved a petition for road acceptance and classification of Vance Lane and Cannon Downs Drive.