$2 million added to road budget

Jul. 31—Cumberland County Road Superintendent Stanley Hall now has an additional $2 million in his budget to address road needs across the county, and he's hoping to make the extra money stretch as far as he can.

"I'll probably spend all that whole $2 million on tar-and-chip roads and just go just as far as I can with that," Hall told the Chronicle Thursday. "That's the biggest bang for the buck."

Hall said there are many areas with poor roads across the county. Growth has added to the issues.

"Take places like Tansi that have grown up over the years — they've had a boom and the roads have disintegrated," he said.

Hall estimated that he can pave three miles with tar and chip for every one mile of asphalt paving. That would help serve more people in the county, he said.

Tar and chip is a paving method that uses a coating of hot liquid asphalt followed by chipped rock.

"The people in Thomas Springs, in Hebbetsburg, over in Cumberland Cove — they deserve a little bit of it, too," he said.

With more than 1,100 miles of county roads, there's a lot of areas in need of attention, he said. He's even considered doing the worst areas of roads to fix as many issues as possible and then return next year to fully repave.

"I feel like I'm spinning my wheels," Hall said of progress on getting roads repaired and paved.

Poor weather compounds those issues, with heavy rains over the past several weeks washing out several county roads.

Across the county, residents are speaking up about road needs. Johnny Guillot from Cumberland Cove said several roads in the development that straddles Cumberland and Putnam counties need attention.

"We'd like to see something done," Guillot said during public comments at the July 17 Cumberland County Commission meeting.

Guillot said he had given a report on the road conditions to former Cumberland County Road Superintendent Scott Blaylock in March 2022. Blaylock left office in September 2022.

That survey included 51 roads that Guillot said needed to be repaired, with concerns such as edge issues, crumbling and sinks. The number of roads in need of attention has increased to 54 roads as of March 2023, he said.

"Since conducting my first survey, the roads have gotten worse and some are becoming dangerous," Guillot said. "A large number of roads no longer have pavement of any kind, only gravel."

Many of these roads are primary roads in the development and must be traveled by residents of both Cumberland and Putnam counties.

"Our roads have been ignored for many, many years, but this cannot continue as Cumberland Cove is experiencing very rapid growth," Guillot said.

The road department budget comes to about $6.9 million in expenditures. This includes employee pay, equipment and money for road building supplies. Revenues include $3.2 million from gas and fuel taxes and $490,000 in estimated state aid program funding, though Hall has said the state may have additional state aid funding available in the future. The state aid funds can only be used on roads listed by the state.

The $2 million comes from the county's American Rescue Plan Act funds. The county's environmental committee recommended the move the money to the road department to "try and get some more work done," Terry Lowe, 5th District commissioner, said during the June environmental committee meeting. "I get more calls on roads than anything else concerning the county commission."

The project was approved by the committee, but Colleen Mall, 9th District commissioner, voted no, saying she wanted to see a plan for the funding.

"I'd like to see a total county plan about how that money will be utilized and a timeline," Mall said. "I'm not opposed to the $2 million. I think it's great."

Lowe presented the funding recommendation to the county's budget committee July 17.

"I appreciate this, and I know Stanley will and I know all the county people that drive these roads, they will appreciate this," Lowe said. "I don't think we can spend that stimulus money any better than putting it on the roads."

Lowe added he would have liked to put more money into the road department budget. The county has about $7 million remaining from its more than $11 million ARPA allocation.

Rebecca Stone, 3rd District commissioner, echoed that she would like to see a plan for the money. Hall has to prepare a plan for county roads to apply for additional state aid funding, she said.

"This is basically grant money. When you do your state application, just do your countywide plan and show us where the money is going," Stone told Hall. "I think that would be money well spent."

Hall said he'd like to reserve about $200,000 to reserve for emergency road repairs, which can come with hefty price tags. Some culverts cost more than $2,000.

"I even had a bid the other day for $5,000 apiece," Hall said.

His state plan will have a three-year implementation, he said, to avoid roads coming due for repairs or repaving at the same time.

Jack Davis, 5th District commissioner, moved to approve the funding allocation.

Stone added that the allocation would be "subject to a plan" being submitted. She suggested Hall give the plan to Cumberland County Mayor Allen Foster.

"I think that's up to Stanley," said Foster. "I'm not much for being sheriff or road superintendent. I like being mayor pretty good. I think Stanley is going to have a plan."

Stone said Hall would prepare the plan, but she thought Foster could review it and recommend it when ready. Foster said the list should go to the environmental committee.

Dewey Walker, 1st District commissioner, said funding should not be held up for a plan to be submitted.

"He can be working on a road plan, but I don't think we ought to hold that $2 million until he gets a road plan ready," Walker said. "The plan is to fix the roads."

Joe Sherrill, 6h District commissioner, said he and fellow 6th District commissioner Wendell Wilson had surveyed the roads in their district and offered their suggestions on top needs. John Patterson, 9th District commissioner, said that's been done in the 9th District, as well.

Stone said she would hope every district would receive the same representation.

"The road list is pages upon pages upon pages," Sherrill said. "It's not possible we're going to fix all the roads. We went into our districts and said these are the ones we get complaints.

"I think everybody ought to do that in their own district."

Hall said conditions can change that would impact any identified priorities, such as an emergency repair or washout following heavy rains or significant changes in road use. State road construction in multiple areas of the county has also increased traffic on some county roads for detours or people avoiding the traffic.

"It has to be variable on that," Hall said.

Patterson said he depends on Hall to set priorities, but added, "We've got some roads that if they don't get attention in the next year or two, they're gone. We've got cold patch on top of cold patch on top of cold patch."

Heather Mullinix is editor of the Crossville Chronicle. She covers schools and education in Cumberland County. She may be reached at hmullinix@crossville-chronicle.com.