Road work affects courthouse parking

By JOEL WRIGHT

Staff writer

County commissioners decided Friday to re-organize parking designations at the courthouse during road construction on 4th and Williams Sts.

Until roadwork is completed, commissioners designated the entire west parking area at the courthouse for public use. Courthouse employees are to use the south lot or parking used by the sheriff’s department.

Commissioners wrote off three loans worth $35,318 from the county’s microloan program as uncollectable.

Treasurer Jeannine Bateman said the loans had been deemed uncollectable by the county attorney years ago, but since a motion could not be found in prior commission minutes, commissioners wrote them off Friday.

In other news:

• Commissioners approved a $31,581 bid from Midway Motors for a 2015 F-250 crew 4-by-4 truck for the road and bridge department. Two other bids came from Hillsboro Ford for trucks for $33,770 and $32,330.
• Transfer Station Director Rollin Schmidt said his department received a $488 check from Waste Connections for its most recent load of recycling materials. The transfer station had collected 14.8 tons in recyclables.
• Regular sales tax in the county for the month of January reached $53,771. The sales tax to pay for the jail came out to $47,261.
• Commissioners met in a closed session for five minutes. No action was taken upon return to open session.