County seeks state aid to help with road repair

By Staff, 05/15/19 9:51 AM

PRESCOTT – Nevada County will be applying for state aid to help repair rain-damaged county roads.

Mark Glass, Nevada County Judge, told the Nevada County Quorum Court of these plans at the court’s May meeting Tuesday night. He said April brought record rainfall to Nevada County, which resulted in county roads being torn up. “We’ve been fighting to keep them passable,” he said, adding the most recent rain literally washed culverts away. These culverts have been replaced, but, in some areas, roads are impassable.

Initially Glass told the court he tried to get federal assistance through the Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA), only to learn not enough damage has been reported to qualify. He said the state needs $4.5 million in damage to get FEMA funds. However, he said, the county will be applying for state aid and could be reimbursed 35 percent of all costs incurred in making the necessary repairs to the county’s roads. He’s met with the area’s coordinator to get the ball rolling.

In the meantime, the county’s road crews have been busy surveying the roads, seeing where the worst damage is and figuring out where to start making repairs. The crews have been documenting the damage and taking pictures to submit to the state. “The governor has to approve it, but I feel good we’ll get it,” he said. At this time, though, grey rock is being used to fill ruts as the county’s gravel pit is too wet to get anything useful from.

Mary Godwin, executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Economic Development Office, said she and Tammie Rose will be attending the rural development conference in Hot Springs later this week, where Oak Grove will be receiving a grant to work on its community center. She told the court a $2,300 grant for the Nevada County Sheriff’s Office has been finished and has been used to purchase cameras.

The splash pad, she concluded, should be open on Memorial Day.

Herbert Coleman, JP from Oak Grove, said the grant will be used to put a roof on the old elementary building, and the area will be applying for more grants to make further improvements to the structure.

Glass lauded the Prescott High School boys track team for winning the state track tournament again. Coleman praised the Nevada High School baseball team for making it to the state playoffs for the first time in school history.

Jamie Hillery, executive director of the Prescott-Nevada County Chamber of Commerce, said the Chamber has been busy with a recent ribbon cutting for Charlotte Rose, a new flower shop, and weekly community coffees, which have been well attended of late. She pointed out the coffee sponsored by the court had to have its group photo taken on the courthouse steps, and the Munn’s Chapel coffee had to be taken in front of the desk at the Nevada County Library because of the crowd size.

She reminded the court the Chamber’s 5^th Annual Crawfish and Shrimp Boil will be held Thursday at the Farmer’s Market Pavilion. She said 100 pounds of crawfish has been added each year and sells out. This year shrimp has been added and the order has had to be increased twice already.

Circuit Clerk Rita Reyenga told the court she’s losing a deputy and needed its approval to replace the person retiring. This was approved and whoever she hires will start on July 2. Reyenga said she’s been taking resumes and is looking for someone who’s reliable and dependable.

Justice of the Peace Pat Grimes asked if 309 inmates couldn’t be used to help the Nevada County Master Gardeners as the club is aging and unable to do a lot of the physical labor the program requires. She said if the club doesn’t get help, it may have to quit.

The Master Gardeners handles landscaping for the Nevada County Library, Prescott Elementary School, the Nevada County Courthouse, the Nevada County Extension Office and does other projects as well, such as erecting the Christmas tree each year.

Grimes said the club can’t get new members because they say the club works too hard.

Nevada County Sheriff’s Deputy Robert Missey said the state would have to give permission or the 309 program could be pulled, but he’ll check into it.