Giles County Highway Committee Meeting Minutes February 11, 2025
Members Present: Tim Risner (chairman), Tracy Wilburn (vice-chairman), Shelly Goolsby, Roger Reedy, Matt Rubelsky, Joyce Woodard and Joseph Sutton
Members Also Present: James Lathrop, Annelle Gutherie, Matthew Hopkins, Terry Jones, Evan Baddour, Rose Brown, Brad Butler, Gayle Jones, Erin Curry, David Womble, Carman Brown, and David Adams
Also present: Gene Barnickle, Joe Parker, Erin Harmon, Graham Stowe, and Beth Moore-Sumners
Meeting Called to Order at 9:00 am
Prayer led by Roger Reedy
Pledge of Allegiance by all
First Order of Business: Approval of the agenda. Shelly Goolsby made a motion to approve. Joseph Sutton made a second. All were in favor. The motion was approved.
Second Order of Business: Chairman Risner asked if there were any public comments. There were none.
Third Order of Business: Approval of October 3, 2024 Highway Committee Meeting minutes. Tracy Wilburn made a motion to approve. Joyce Woodard made a second. All were in favor. The motion was approved.
Fourth Order of Business: Amendment to Highway Budget. Road Superintendent Gene Barnickle stated that the Highway Department is doing a clean-up of line items from building improvements. The main portion of the money we’re moving is from our Hot mix asphalt line into our Liquid Asphalt. Financial Director, Beth Moore-Sumners stated that no new money from the fund balance. Also, she wanted to remind the Highway Committee that the Budget Committee was ok with the amendment bypassing the budget and going straight to full commission. Roger Reedy made a motion to approve. Shelly Goolsby made a second. All were in favor and the motion was passed. There was some discussion on the cost of hot mix per mile. Shelly Goolsby asked if the price had gone up. Superintendent Barnickle answered yes, and continues to. The price of rock has continued to rise. The Highway Department’s rock cost is locked in until June 30, 2025. Tracy Wilburn asked if the Highway Department were going to have any state aid projects this budget year. Superintendent Barnickle stated, the highway department does not have any state aid roads lined up.
Fifth Order of Business: Year End Reports- Superintendent Barnickle explains the daily call ins that the Highway Department received in the year 2024. The Highway Department completed 813 work orders called in from the North and 839 work orders from the south. A total of 1652 for the year. The Highway Department paved 27.7 miles of road with chip and seal process this past fall. Mr. Barnickle just wanted the commission to be aware of what the Highway Department has accomplished.
Sixth Order of Business: Speed Limit Petitions for Alsup Rd and Earl Townsend Rd. Both requested 35 mph. A petition was completed for both roads and turned in to the Highway Department. Superintendent Barnickle stated he was in support of both petitions. Joyce Woodard made a motion to approve both petitions. Tracy Wilburn made a second. All were in favor and the motion passed.
Seventh Order of Business: Memorial Bridge Dedication Specs. The discussion over the specs had been tabled since the last meeting. Road Superintendent Gene Barnickle informed the committee that he does not favor the County dedicating bridges. Mr. Barnickle stated that he thought the rules should be followed to be fair. Commissioner Jones brought forth a dedication request that didn’t meet the current specs. This brought up more discussion about the possibility of rewriting the specs. Chairman Risner stated that fair was the only way to be in this process and he also thought that the decision should be left to the committee whether or not they wanted to proceed with the current specs or adopt new ones. A new set of specs was passed out to the committee that County Executive Graham Stowe had written. In the new specs, the terms were more defined and laid out more detailed qualifications. Commissioner Rubelsky asked the road superintendent what were his recommendations moving forward. Mr. Barnickle said that he was in support of leaving the original specs and following them. Commissioner Reedy made a motion to keep the current memorial bridge dedication specifications. Commissioner Rubelsky seconded the motion. All were in favor. The motion passed to keep the current specifications.
Old Business– Mr. Barnickle wanted to give the Highway committee an update on the Big Dry Creek Bridge Project. The hydraulic studies are complete and we are moving on the structural planning stage. Mr. Barnickle also wanted to add that the funds for this bridge may or may not be diverted to other emergency projects from the major floods in East Tennessee. Commissioner Butler informed the committee about Poling Drive. He has had a resident from the area reach out about the road conditions on the back part of Poling Drive. The County only has 0.47 miles. The back portion has changed hands several times but the road would have to be brought up to specs before the Highway Committee would consider taking in the road.
New Business– Mr. Barnickle wanted to inform the committee that the Highway Department has joined with Columbia State Community College through their workforce program for the Highway Department to offer the commercial driving license course. We are having 4 of our seasoned drivers trained to be instructors. We currently have 5 employees starting their course to obtain their CDLs. The County is paying for the training and the employee will be responsible for paying for their road test to obtain their license. The Highway Department has ordered a John Deere Long Arm Tractor. The tractor is at a local dealer and just waiting on the bush hog which should be in within the next month or two. Mr. Barnickle addressed the committee about the needs of the department. Cost keeps increasing and several pieces of equipment will need to be replaced soon. The Highway Department is running a few 80-model dump trucks that will soon need replaced. The current cost to replace those with a new truck is around $207,000.00 each. New service trucks are needed to maintain our workforce. Quotes for those are at $68,000.00 each. Equipment sheds are needed to house our equipment. Mr. Barnickle wanted the committee to know what was coming down the line for the Highway Department needs. County Executive Stowe let the committee know that we need to start thinking about ten-year increments when it comes to the budget instead of just year to year. More discussion about rising costs and needs took place. Chairman Risner asked if there was any more discussion. Commissioner Wilburn made a motion to adjourn. Commissioner Woodard seconded the motion. All were in favor. The meeting was adjourned.
