IS PUBLIC WORKS INCOMPETENT, LAZY, OR BOTH?
September 14, 2016
When Public Works comes out to work on a road, wouldn’t you think they would do everything at one time and get that road done correctly? That does not seem to be the case in Jasper County.
When cutting along the sides of the road with a mower or a side-cutter, there is always a truck that follows behind. You would think the person(s) in the truck could get out and weed eat around a sign or cut back a limb. If you think this is what they do, you need to think again.
Here is a picture of a stop sign covered with tree limbs that has been this way for months. Public Works was out working on this road, and somehow just missed this problem as well as half the grass they were supposed to cut.
Can you believe that as of last Friday, NO ONE has been fired, suspended, or even reprimanded over the disaster on Pitts Chapel Road? It is very fortunate the citizen hurt, because of Public Works’ negligence, was not hurt much worse. (See details) However, no consequences, means more sloppy work.
Monday night at the BOC meeting, Comm. Pennamon had a few questions and some things to say about Public Works as well. Public Works is spending $400,000 to $500,000 a year on gravel. Can you see where it is helping?
Comm. Pennamon questioned the time, effort, and money being put into gravel on roads with no houses and/or graveling roads from end to end when there might be only one or two houses at one end of the road.
Watch his comments on this video.
Comm. Pennamon implied that most people would know that putting loose gravel on a hard dusty road in the summer will beat off and go into the ditch as vehicles drive on it. It seems our Public Works director must not know this, even though he had been a motor grader operator for many years before becoming Public Works director.
There has been and continues to be a severe lack of supervision and accountability at Public Works and over Public Works. Money for gravel is not the only money being wasted by Public Works. Paying people to do a sloppy or incomplete job is a huge waste of money. No wonder there are daily complaints about the roads in Jasper County.
Your comments, as always, are welcome.
TWG
Citizens, be informed and stay informed! Only by being informed, can the citizens understand what is being done and talked about, and then press our officials to make good decisions for everyone in Jasper County. That is our goal with the Taxdogs blog.
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If the road department spent more time working, than eating breakfast and taking 2 hours for lunch more work might get done. Where is their supervision? At home? Seems that the department heads in this county are not being held accountable for lack of leadership. Where you at Mike Benton?
I have lived in Jasper County for 3 1/2 years now and our road it AWEFUL!! We live on a small street and the garbage trucks and the school busses keep it torn up and full of pot holes. They have come out no less than 4 or 5 times to “fix” the road and only put more gravel in the pot holes that get ground out again in a matter of weeks. The last time we called PW to come fix the road my husband asked them if it wouldn’t it be cheaper to black top it rather than coming out twice a year to fill in pot holes. The answer we got was “they don’t have the equipment” !! When I need another job I am applying to Jasper County PW!! Sounds like a cushy job to me…after all—sounds just like any other government job…all you have to do is show up.
Funny thing that they don’t have the equipment! The County manager the commissioners brag about all the roads they are paving “in-house” at almost every meeting.
I know that Mr. Sheppard. I’m looking forward to a lot of change in this county, starting with weary, voting citizens that are over it.
I live on Goolsby Road and LAST November I even spoke before the BOC and boy they were in full agreement road work was needed and it was going to happen. Almost a year has gone by and all we have seen is part of that $400,000 worth of gravel that was put in pot holes that was a waste of time. I know I only have one vote but I will take pride in knowing my vote canceled his. Looking for change and some action for the tax dollars I give to Jasper County every year.
I for one can not wait for November 8th. to get here. 54 days from today.
You have an opportunity to get rid of Gene Trammell but the rest were decided in the primary that most people are way too busy to be bothered with.
Exactly. Time for him to go in my opinion.