By Fred Woods
Editor
Heath Corbett asked the commission to resolve the disputed ownership of a roadway across the Heath Lake dam connecting two portions of Lee Road 425 at the Heath Lake Subdivision in southeast Lee County near Smiths Station.
The lake is private property and it would seem that the dam impounding it would also be private property. However, when the subdivision was first built, its only point of egress was over the dam. That is no longer the case but it is not clear that the property owners have the authority to close the dam road as the county has “semi-maintained” it over the years.
County attorney Stan Martin, and the commission agreed to, the following:
County Engineer Justin Hardee will prepare a chronology of events concerning use of the road over the dam for the commissioners.
Based on the chronology and any other relevant information, the commission will make a factual determination as to whether the dam, and the road on it, are public or private property.
If private the property owners can exercise their right to close the road; if public, the commission can then vacate the road and the property owners can then exercise their rights.
At the request of the Alabama Bicentennial Commission, the Lee County Commission passed a resolution endorsing the Bicentennial Commission’s efforts leading to the observation and commemoration of the state of Alabama’s 200th birthday.
The commission also authorized the Chairman to execute a federal aid agreement for the resurfacing of Lee Road 248, from L.R. 243 to U.S Hwy. 280 (the Lee County portion of Summerville Road. The total cost of the project is $294,262 withe the federal government paying 80 percent.
In other actions, the commission:
– heard first readings (nominations) for vacancies on the county Industrial Development Board (Randy Price, nominee) and the EAMC Ambulance Advisory Board (Robert Ham, nominee),
– authorized audit of county telecommunications accounts by Spyglass Group, LLC, of Ohio,
– authorized a realtor to take certain steps to improve salability of county land in the Beulah area ( land in question is that acquired several years ago by Lee County Recreation Committee which is totally unsuited for any sports requiring a level playing field) and
– agreed to a budget preparation process for service contract budget requests of hearing from four agencies per meeting, with a 15 minute time limit for each agency), beginning at the end of the next regular commission meeting (July 10).