By PHYLLIS ZORN

Staff writer

A rural Lincolnville man who took matters into his own hands when he wanted a road graveled came under scrutiny at Monday’s county commission meeting.

Commission chairman Dianne Novak told commissioners that she’d gotten a call Thursday from Mike Beneke, who asked if he could put rock on his road “because it’s terrible.” Novak said she told him no. After bickering a bit, Novak told Beneke to call road and bridge superintendent Jesse Hamm.

Meanwhile, Novak phoned Hamm herself, who sent a crew to look at the road.

When the crew reached Beneke’s road, Beneke was already graveling it, Hamm said.

“I advised Mike two weeks ago that his road needs some attention,” Hamm said.

Hamm said he had called Bergkamp Construction the same morning to ask about buying a pile of rock, and was told the company was still testing it.

That’s the same rock Beneke was spreading on the road, Hamm said.

Hamm called Beneke to discuss the fact that he hadn’t gotten permission to gravel the road.

“I have a feeling he might ask to be reimbursed, and it’s not the right way to go,” Hamm said. “He told me the vote would be 2 to 1.”

“I think the big thing here is, I don’t think he understands there’s 12 other feedlots in the county and their business is just as important as his,” commissioner Randy Dallke said. He added that the commission “needs to stop Beneke somehow.”

Commissioners discussed making a policy that no resident can spread rock or sand on the road because of liability concerns.

County counselor Brad Jantz advised commissioners that they could make a prohibition against residents rocking roads or make a policy that a person who wants to put down rock must get permission as well as buy the type of rock the county wants on the road.

Commissioners made no decision Monday.