{"id":16281,"date":"2016-04-13T12:32:21","date_gmt":"2016-04-13T16:32:21","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/?p=16281"},"modified":"2016-04-19T15:42:37","modified_gmt":"2016-04-19T19:42:37","slug":"fixing-private-road-carter-way-next-to-proposed-sabal-trail-fracked-methane-path-lcc-2016-04-12","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.l-a-k-e.org\/blog\/2016\/04\/fixing-private-road-carter-way-next-to-proposed-sabal-trail-fracked-methane-path-lcc-2016-04-12.html","title":{"rendered":"Fixing private road Carter Way next to proposed Sabal Trail fracked methane path @ LCC 2016-04-12"},"content":{"rendered":"

\r\n\r\n\"Cowart<\/a>\r\nIf heavy rains washed out culverts on Carter Way, why would we not expect them to\r\nwash up\r\n\r\nthe proposed Sabal Trail pipeline, aimed barely 500 feet to the west, downstream on Tiger Creek<\/a>?\r\nAnd why didn’t the county mention that the company to which they just awarded\r\nan emergency no-bid contract to fix a private road owns extensive properties on that same private road?\r\nActually, no: see correction<\/a>.<\/strong>\r\n

\r\nThe Lowndes County Tax Assessors online database shows\r\nCowart & Son own\r\nParcel 0017 024<\/a> of 13.09 acres on Carter Way.\r\nYet the\r\n\r\nitem 7.h. Carter Way agenda sheet<\/a>\r\nfor yesterday’s\r\n\r\n12 April 2016 Regular Session of the Lowndes County Commission<\/a>.\r\nmentions “Over 10 residences and a telecommunications tower” on Carter Way,\r\nbut never mentions that the contractor, Cowart & Sons,\r\njust awarded that emergency no-bid contract for $67,822 to fix culverts on Carter Way,\r\nis also located on Carter Way. Actually, Rountree Construction got the contract; see correction<\/a>. It’s still an emergency no-bid contract<\/a> for a private road.<\/strong>\r\n

\r\n

\r\nLOWNDES COUNTY BOARD OF COMMISSIONERS\r\n
\r\nCOMMISSION AGENDA ITEM\r\n\r\n\r\n

\r\nRegular Meeting (x)\r\n
\r\nWork Session ( )\r\n
\r\nRecommendation ( )\r\n
\r\nPolicy\/Discussion (x)\r\n
\r\nReport ( )\r\n
\r\nOther ()\r\n

\r\nSUBJECT: Carter Way Culverts\r\n
\r\nDATE OF MEETING: April 12, 2016\r\n
\r\nBUDGET IMPACT $ 67,822\r\n
\r\n   FUNDING SOURCE\r\n
\r\n   () Annual\r\n
\r\n   () Capital\r\n
\r\n   (x) Contingency\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nCOUNTY ACTION REQUESTED ON: Agreement to Replace Culverts; Bid to Replace Culverts\r\n

\r\n

\r\nHISTORY, FACTS AND ISSUES:\r\n

\r\n\r\n\"7.h.<\/a>\r\nRecent heavy rains washed out culverts on Carter Way, a private road\r\nin the southwest area of the County near the Withlacoochee River.\r\nOver 10 residences and a telecommunications tower are located on the\r\nother side of the washed out culverts. The County has obtained the\r\nattached bid of $67,822 from Rountree Construction to replace the\r\nculverts.\r\n<\/p>\r\n\r\n<\/a>\r\n

\r\nReplacing the culverts will permit EMS, fire, and sheriff vehicle\r\naccess to the homes and residents on the other side of the culverts\r\nand will allow residents and others vehicle access to these homes.\r\nIt will also allow vehicle access to the telecommunications tower on\r\nthe other side of the culverts.\r\n<\/p>\r\n

\r\nCowart & Sons Development Co., Inc. (“Cowart & Son”) and its\r\nCEO Charles Cowart have agreed to accept the new culverts and to be\r\nsolely responsible for maintaining them and any liability arising\r\nout of them and their use and to indemnify the County for any claim\r\nor claims against the County arising out of the construction,\r\nmaintenance, condition, or use of the culverts or the portion of\r\nCarter Way over the culverts. The written agreement with Cowart &\r\nSons and Charles Cowart is attached.\r\n<\/p>\r\n
\r\nOPTIONS:<\/td>\r\n1. (a) Find replacing the culverts will substantially benefit the County and public,\r\n
   \r\n(b) Approve the letter agreement with Cowart & Sons and Charles Cowart, and\r\n
   \r\n(c) Accept Rountree Construction’s bid of $67,822 subject to Cowart & Sons and\r\nCharles Cowart’s executing letter agreement\r\n
\r\n2. Redirect\r\n<\/td><\/tr><\/table>\r\n

\r\nRECOMMENDED ACTION: Board’s Pleasure\r\n

\r\nDEPARTMENT: Engineering\r\n

\r\nDepartment Head: [signed Joe Pritchard]\r\n

\r\nADMINISTRATIVE COMMENTS AND RECOMMENDATION:\r\n

\r\n[signed Joe Pritchard]\r\n
\r\nCounty Manager\r\n

\r\nAction Taken By Board:\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

\r\nThis item was added to the agenda<\/a> per request from County Manager Joe Pritchard in the previous morning’s Work Session<\/a> as:\r\n

\r\n

\r\n

    \r\n
  1. \r\n
      \r\n
    1. \r\nCarter Way Culverts\r\n
      \r\nApproval of Agreement to replace culverts\r\n
      \r\nDocuments:       CARTER WAY CULVERTS.PDF<\/a>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/ol>\r\n<\/blockquote>\r\n

      \r\nPritchard didn’t mention Cowart & Sons owning property on Carter Way then, either.\r\n

      Carter Way, Martin Way, pipeline, Withlacoochee River<\/a><\/H4>\r\n

      \r\nIn this wider area map of Carter Way, you can also see Martin Way, and \r\nthe Withlacoochee River where Old Quitman Highway deadends at Spook Bridge.\r\n

      \r\n\r\n\"Carter<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n

      STA. 12242+00 TO STA. 12295+00, Martin Lane, Tiger Creek<\/a><\/H4>\r\n

      \r\nI rotated this Sabal Trail route map to have north towards the top,\r\nso you can see the pipeline would emerge from the HDD Withlacoochee River and US 84 drilling south of Old Quitman Highway, then turn sharply,\r\ncrossing Tiger Creek, and parallelling Martin Lane.\r\nApparently Sabal Trail wants to cross Tiger Creek by open cut, since\r\nthat crossing is after the emergence from the Horizontal Directional Drilling under the river.\r\nWhat’s to stop heavy rains from washing up the Sabal Trail pipeline\r\njust like they just washed out the culverts on Carter Way, barely 500 feet to the east?\r\n

      \r\n\r\n\"STA.<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n

      \r\nHere’s\r\n\r\nthe video of item 7.h. Carter Way:<\/a>\r\n<\/p>\r\n

      \r\n