Pulaski County has a problem that could rapidly become dangerous: a shortage of road salt to melt winter ice.
County Clerk Diana Linnenbringer reported that salt company representatives told her that due to the recent hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico and high demand from some northern states, it’s not possible to give bids on bulk salt rates.
“I guess what we need to be asking is not only will they bid it but also will they price it, and can we buy some from them immediately,” said Presiding Commissioner Bill Ransdall.
After checking with road workers, commissioners found the only available salt seems to be bagged salt rather than bulk salt, and cautioned that bagged salt costs two to three times more.
There may be no choice, said commissioner Dennis Thornsberry.
“I called out directly to the salt mine,” Thornsberry said. “He said the salt is going in the north country up in Michigan and places like that, they’re buying it all up, and they buy so much of it that they’ve just cut us south people out.”
Randall asked that the salt budget be checked.
“I don’t know how much we’ve budgeted for it, but it looks like we’re going to be in trouble,” Ransdall said.
Linnenbringer reported that the $4,000 annual salt budget is already overspent by more than $700.
“Between the ice storms and the floods, we’ve been hit hard,” Ransdall said.
In other business:
• Commissioners met with a representative of Wall Street Insurance regarding ongoing insurance concerns. The county’s insurance bid comes due at the beginning of the year.
• Commissioners met in closed session on a legal and personnel matter with County Prosecutor Deborah Hooper and representatives of the county’s Road and Bridge Department union.
Commissioners said little after coming out of the closed session that lasted more than an hour.
“We have an issue under investigation,” Ransdall said.
“Once this issue is completed, we will issue a response under the Sunshine Law,” Hooper added.
|
|
|
Pulaski County has a problem that could rapidly become dangerous: a shortage of road salt to melt winter ice.
County Clerk Diana Linnenbringer reported that salt company representatives told her that due to the recent hurricanes in the Gulf of Mexico and high demand from some northern states, it’s not possible to give bids on bulk salt rates.
“I guess what we need to be asking is not only will they bid it but also will they price it, and can we buy some from them immediately,” said Presiding Commissioner Bill Ransdall.
After checking with road workers, commissioners found the only available salt seems to be bagged salt rather than bulk salt, and cautioned that bagged salt costs two to three times more.
There may be no choice, said commissioner Dennis Thornsberry.
“I called out directly to the salt mine,” Thornsberry said. “He said the salt is going in the north country up in Michigan and places like that, they’re buying it all up, and they buy so much of it that they’ve just cut us south people out.”
Randall asked that the salt budget be checked.
“I don’t know how much we’ve budgeted for it, but it looks like we’re going to be in trouble,” Ransdall said.
Linnenbringer reported that the $4,000 annual salt budget is already overspent by more than $700.
“Between the ice storms and the floods, we’ve been hit hard,” Ransdall said.
In other business:
• Commissioners met with a representative of Wall Street Insurance regarding ongoing insurance concerns. The county’s insurance bid comes due at the beginning of the year.
• Commissioners met in closed session on a legal and personnel matter with County Prosecutor Deborah Hooper and representatives of the county’s Road and Bridge Department union.
Commissioners said little after coming out of the closed session that lasted more than an hour.
“We have an issue under investigation,” Ransdall said.
“Once this issue is completed, we will issue a response under the Sunshine Law,” Hooper added.
