GILES COUNTY HIGHWAY DEPARTMENT HIGHWAY COMMITTEE MEETING MINUTES NOVEMBER 12, 2025
Members Present: Ricky Carpenter, Joyce Woodard, Joseph Sutton, Tracy Wilburn, Carman Brown, Roger Reedy and Matt Rubelsky
Members also Present: Brad Butler, James Lathrop, Matt Hopkins, David Adams, David Womble, Terry Jones, Gayle Jones, Judy Pruett, Shelley Goolsby, Annelle Gutherie, Lynn Albury, Sandra Norwood
Gene Barnickle and Erin Harmon
Meeting called to Order at 9 am.
Prayer by Roger Reedy and Pledge by all.
Chairman Wilburn asked if there was any public comment on agenda items. There were none.
First Order of Business: Approval of minutes from May 5, 2025 meeting. Matt Rubelsky made a motion to approve the minutes. Rick Carpenter seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion passed to approve the minutes.
Second Order of Business: Bridge Dedication for Marion Fosnight. Road Superintendent Barnickle told the committee that the dedication request meet the memorial specifications and he supported the dedication. Sandra Norwood, Marion’s daughter was present and spoke about her mother and her roll and dedication to the Giles County Community. Carman Brown made a motion to approve the memorial bridge dedication. Rick Carpenter seconded the motion. All were in favor and the motion passed.
Third Order of Business: Amendment to the Highway Budget. The road superintendent explained that there was no new money. The amendment was to move money out of a clerical position into equipment. There was no discussion. Carman Brown made a motion to approve. Rick Carpenter seconded the motion. All were in favor. Motion passed.
Fourth Order of Business: Dillon Ln. Discussion over the low water bridge. It was discussed in the past meetings and was voted to move on to the planning commission. Letters were sent out to all residents on Dillon Ln. One of the main land owners was out of the country at the time so we are waiting for a response. Gene explained that he did get a quote on replacing the low water bridge located in the first 330 feet of Dillon Ln that the Highway Department wants to accept. The county attorney recommended that it be returned to the Highway Department, and from there moved to the Planning Commission to be accepted. There are no property owners who own land that goes to the center of the road in this location. It appears to be an easement through property. The county already has .95 miles on Dillon Ln, but the first 330 ft is not. It was in the Minor Hill City Limits but was de-annexed. Rick Carpenter makes a motion to send it to the planning commission. Carman Brown seconds the motion. All are in favor and the motion is passed.
Fifth Order of Business: The road superintendent explains to the committee that this road is one that the Highway Dept and several commissioners have received numerous calls on. The Highway Department has all of Poling Drive except the remaining 1,571 feet. As of now, there are approximately 20 homes built, and around 15 are already occupied. The road is in good condition. Residents have kept the road base in good condition. It wouldn’t take much to complete the road. Letters were sent out with a petition to adopt the road. Matt Rubelsky made a motion to approve sending it to the planning commission. Carman Brown seconded the motion. All were in favor, and the motion was passed.
Old business: Potts Lane. The road superintendent told the committee that the Highway Department has received a petition to close the back portion of the road closed. There are 2-3 landowners that will be contacted. The county attorney recommended that it be sent to the Planning Commission.
New Business: Todd Downs has petitioned Mize Ln to be closed. He is the only landowner there. During the Highway Departments digging into this road. We could not find any resolutions or anything stating the road was ever adopted by resolution into our road list. It is on the county road list. Mr. Reedy made a motion to send it to the planning commission. Joesph Sutton seconded the motion. All were in favor. The motion was approved. Next under new business is Beth Drive. It was listed in the road list as 0.15 miles and has been corrected to 0.11 miles. This is another road that just appeared on the road list in 1997 but we have no resolution were the road was ever officially adopted into our road system. Womble asked if this road also had a good base and wouldn’t take much to resurface. Matt Rubelsky makes a motion to go to the planning commission. Rick Carpenter seconded the motion. All are in favor. Motion is approved. Fiddler’s Court was next on new business. Neal Bass is the developer and this started under the previous Highway administration. Neal has built the road up to the county specs, and the road superintendent has signed off. The road ready to be accepted into the road system. Carman Brown made a motion to send it to the planning commission. Matt Rubelsky makes a second, and all are in favor. Motion is passed. The road superintendent wanted to let the commission know about how the paving season was going. He has had several ask about mileage so far. The highway department has tar and chipped 51.97 miles, Hot mixed 6.78 miles and fog sealed 17.41 miles. Mr. Barnickle explains that a fog seal is a sealant that we can put on a tar and chip road that has been approved by the state that is supposed to give the road at least 5 more years of life. So many residents don’t understand what a road looks like once it’s been resurfaced. Several complaints were made that the Highway Department turned their road back into a dirt road. The process just takes time and the more the road is driven on the road will turn in time. Mr. Barnickle also states that he is using a new oil called 2P and really likes what he sees. It takes less rock, labor and time. The fog seal is used with our same machinery just by changing out the nozzles and we can broom off the road and fog seal it. Some people are calling it tackless tack. BC1HT is the correct name. It’s approximately $4,000.00 per mile and our oil for chip seal roads is $30,506.00 per mile. From what the road superintendent understands that when you see the road starting to deteriorate in 5 years of so we can go back and fog seal it again to extend the life instead of having to mill the road up and repave it all together. Rick Carpenter makes a motion to adjourn. Matt Rubelsky seconds the motion. All are in favor. Meeting is adjourned.