The parish should soon take delivery of a piece of equipment that can lay down asphalt, not just patch potholes. The state contract cost is $181,202.
The equipment from Covington Sales in Alexandria is on the lot and described simply as a “lay down machine.” It will be able to put down a 2-inch layer of asphalt from 8-feet wide to 13 feet to repair areas of existing areas of blacktop. The road committee has been looking at this possibility for some months. Earlier consideration of a used model was rejected due to the use hours on that model plus the price difference.
Juror Author Robinson raised two questions on the purchase and eventually abstained when the vote was called. “I get more calls for cutting bushes in my district than I do for blacktopping.” He also noted while other parishes have trucks designated for hauling hot asphalt, Winn does not and would have to pay extra for contract hauling.” He also wondered if the parish would be able to prepare an adequate road base for the asphalt work.
President Frank McLaren said that one load of asphalt runs about $3,000 and would cover about 100 feet of a parish road. Road superintendent Perry Holmes said the new machine can be hauled on the parish trailer and would take six to eight men, including inmate workers, to operate.
McLaren noted that the jury will pay off existing bonds between September and April, freeing up some $300,000 annually that could be put back into the road fund.
Perry Holmes gave his monthly report on Road Department progress. “You might have noticed a little wind last night,” he quipped about the storm that came through around midnight Sunday. “There were limbs down and a whole roof in the middle of a road. The crew was out since 1:30 a.m. and everything is OK now.”
Other notes included that limb-cutting (around power lines) is going well and the crew has made a complete round of grass-cutting. The Sheriff’s Office is allowing two inmates to work with the pothole-patching equipment and work is being accomplished.
The jury agreed to assist the Village of Sikes with their request for maintenance on Caney Street and bush hogging on Smith Road.
Stanley Garrett asked the jury to reject Capital Outlay bids on the on the Eugene Garrett Road. Cited were issues of cost overrun and his belief that work would be more beneficial on one end of the road than was proposed. Darrell Franks suggested there would be no funding guarantee when they reapply next time but McLaren is optimistic.