by Fred Woods
Editor

After considerable discussion about wisdom of the action, the Lee County Commission voted narrowly (3-2) to grant county employees an extra day off on Friday July 5.

All commissioners cautioned citizens, county workers and themselves that this is to be viewed strictly as a one-time occurrence and is not to be considered as establishing a precedent for every time a holiday occurs on a Tuesday or a Thursday.

Commissioners also heard a report from County Engineer Justin Hardee relative to heavy industrial usage of Lee Road 394/Whispering Pines Road in southwest Auburn, a largely residential area.

Alabama Power Company is building a power substation to serve the Auburn Technology Park.

Unfortunately, Alabama Power’s only access is through a one-mile residential road which was not designed for heavy truck traffic.

Residents are inconvenienced by heavy traffic, a deteriorating road and dusty conditions.

Commissioner Lawrence (the road is in commission district II) and Hardee and his staff are closely monitoring the situation, and Alabama Power Company is apparently being as cooperative as possible, but the situation will continue until the substation construction is completed in mid-July.

At that time, Hardee assured the commission, the Highway Department will move promptly to schedule whatever repairs are needed to restore Lee Road 394.

In other action, commissioners:

– approved one-year extensions on two highway department maintenance bids.

– approved the transfer of retail beer and wine licenses to new owners of the grocery store (Discount Grocery) at the intersection of Lee County Roads 166 and 146.