Union supervisors doubtful about garbage pickup, office opening Wednesday

It was too early Tuesday morning for Union County Supervisors to determine whether county offices would be open Wednesday, or whether garbage would be picked up in the county, but both appeared unlikely.

District 2 Supervisor Chad Coffey said he feared the Three Rivers Regional Landfill might not open for several more days and the county does not collect garbage when the landfill is closed.

Union County Emergency Management Director Curt Clayton said he was afraid the second storm expected to come through Wednesday and Thursday could hurt the county more than the first. That’s because the first front was mostly relatively dry while the second may be wet and lead to more ice buildup on roads and structures. Temperatures are not expected to get above freezing for any substantial time after the second storm and lows will again be in the low teens.

County roads were still ice-covered but passable with four-wheel-drive vehicles but the supervisors all recommended that everyone stay home unless travel was absolutely necessary. Vehicles were still sliding off roadways.

The county board declared two states of emergency during its brief meeting Tuesday, one for the Feb. 15 storm and a second in anticipation of the expected Feb. 17 storm.

They said they would inform the public more definitely about county office closings and garbage pickup later in the day Tuesday when they had more information.

Most of the other board business Tuesday morning was fairly routine.

They approved renewal of health insurance with a six-percent decrease in rates for the same coverage and accepted the donation of a truck for county use by the Northeast Union County Volunteer Fire Department. The truck had been obtained by the emergency management director Clayton through the state emergency management agency.

In personnel, supervisors approved Sheriff Jimmy Edwards’ request to hire Lauren Isabelle Gutierrez as part-time dispatcher at the sheriff’s office and move James Martin from part-time to full-time jailer at the department.

They also approved a standard longevity pay increase for Bobby Allen Pannell in the road department.

The board approved moving outstanding restitution funds from the circuit clerk’s office to the general fund. This includes various payments that have been ordered by the court but never picked up by individuals and totaled $2,600.83. Board Attorney Chandler Rogers noted that individuals still can collect their funds but they would just have to come from the different source. The move was a housekeeping measure to keep the clerk from having to deal with unnecessary funds.

County officials were routinely paid for usual services including election commissioners, the medical examiner-investigator, the chancery clerk for holding court and the circuit clerk for acting as county registrar.

Before adjourning, the board voted to move into executive session to discuss three different matters. That included a security issue concerning county property, litigation and economic development. No action had been announced at the time of posting.

The next scheduled meeting of the board of supervisors will be at 10 a.m. Monday, March 1.