Lakeview Road bridge may be open by start of school
Town Manager Randy Beeman said he would like to see the road over the broken Hope Mills dam opened by Aug. 25, the day school starts for traditional calendar students.
"They will try, if it's safe, to have it open by the time school is open," Beeman said. "(But) we do not have a definitive date."
Beeman gave an update on the dam project at a Board of Commissioners meeting Monday night.
The two-year-old dam failed and Hope Mills Lake drained June 17 after water levels were being lowered to check on a possible problem.
Since then, the town has been without its treasured lake and the road over the dam, Lakeview Road, has been closed.
On Monday, Beeman delivered a report from McKim and Creed engineers, MACTEC Engineering and Consulting, Morrison Engineers and Crowder Construction Co. The firms designed and built the dam and are working on its reconstruction.
Beeman said the town has received permission from the state Department of Environment and Land Resources to stabilize the remains of the dam. He said the firms have met with the department to review erosion problems around the dam and have begun drilling holes in the spillway to assess the damage.
Commissioner Tonzie Collins asked why the road hasn't been opened yet. Shortly after the dam was breached, Beeman said it was possible the road could be opened in a couple of weeks.
On Monday, Beeman said the process is a deliberate one because every step has to be approved by state regulators.
"They're starting it, but they also want to look at any storm event that may occur," he said.
There was no discussion on when the empty lake bed might be filled.
In other action, the board:
Forwarded to Cumberland County an agreement to merge the town's 911 services with the county's.
The vote was 4-1, with Collins voting no. Collins said he would like to see the town's Police Department funded enough that they can handle the 911 calls in their jurisdiction themselves.
"Why are the citizens of Hope Mills paying taxes if we're taking the services away from them?" Collins said after the meeting.
Agreed with a request by Friends of Hope Mills Lakes to place a concrete bench in the lake park in honor of founding member Don Lowder.
Lowder, who was instrumental in organizing efforts to restore the lake after heavy rains in 2003 breached an earthen dam, died last year.
Tabled a request by board member Eddie Maynor to put in place a policy allowing voting at meetings by phone.
While the request was tabled 3-2, with Maynor and Doris Luther voting no, the board did agree to let Commissioner Bob Gorman vote by telephone when he is on vacation during the next board meeting.
State open meetings law does not prohibit voting by phone.
Recognized the coaches and members of the 12-and-under Dixie Boys "O"Zone baseball team. The team won the state championship and a state sportsmanship award at a competition in Richfield on July 16.
Staff writer Rodger Mullen can be reached at mullenr@fayobserver.com or 486-3561.