PLEASE NOTE: I will relate what occurred to the best of my ability. As always, I highly suggest that you go to the tape of the meeting at the WPA website, or The Wedgefield Times, to verify information for yourself. COMMENTS, are provided at the end of the article, and noted as such.
Roads Chair, Anderson, presented the report. The Roads Committee had invited the board to attend a recent committee meeting, to provide the board the opportunity to review all of the areas that had been identified as problems, and select 13 of the worst areas, as our next project. 13, because that was the funding available, after the selection. During the discussion, the following key items were noted. Earlier this year, Anderson, had received approval from the board to contract with EarthWorks (engineering), to review the areas, note the engineering necessary to repair each area, write the specs for all the areas (believe 23 were identified), write the request for proposal and send it out, and once a contract was awarded, oversee the project. It appeared from Anderson's report, that the board had reviewed the areas, and associated costs of each, after the bids were in. Anderson made a motion to contract with Coastal (vendor on last years project, and least cost), to repair the 13 areas, with the cost not to exceed $153,000. Ebert seconded the motion.
McMillin began to question the project, almost before the motion could be completed, and seconded. He had questions as to what the contractor was doing about the base. It didn't make sense to him. His questions and comments went on for quite some time. At some points he was reminded that he had been at the Roads Committee meeting, when the 13 areas had been identified, had received all the materials, specs, etc., including EarthWorks specs on every area. Anderson reminded him, that he, Anderson, was not an engineer, that EarthWorks had satisfactorily performed these services on the last project, etc. McMillin said, "I'm not a big fan of EarthWorks. Can't trust engineering." He continued with questions about other areas, stated areas where he felt drainage was the real problem, etc. Around and around it went. At another point, DeMarchi said, "I'm looking at reserve accounts. I have more than enough in drainage. I'll give up the rest of this money...." DeMarchi, was willing to move drainage funds to roads, in an attempt to get more areas on the list done. Garrison, said something equivalent to let's just deal with what we are right now. Later, at some point, Garrison jumped in and said to McMillin, "What is it that you do want to do? All I've heard for 25 minutes is what you don't want to do?"
COMMENTS: First, on a very positive note regarding the Roads Report, we should thank Anderson, Roads Chair, for continuing to stay the course, seek engineering, allow those with expertise to write the specs, contract, and follow the work of the vendor. He doesn't get angry, he simply stays the course, answers to the best of his ability, refers to documents that he has provided consistently to every board member, and more to his credit, has invited the full board to his committee meeting to determine, the areas "most critical" for the next round of road repair. Excellent! More kudos to Garrison for openly, and fairly, moving this discussion along. DeMarchi, should also be credited with attempting to serve as many as possible, for the greater good. He's offering funding from drainage, in hopes of contracting for more areas to be repaired. Cline, also jumps in at critical points with constructive thoughts. What could be better than these board members working constructively, to get us through this discussion, and move a credibly constructed project forward?
McMillin appeared to be a board member, with nothing but sour grapes, on his plate. It appeared that he hadn't gone into this kind of questioning during the board's meeting with the Roads Committee, and that he waited for a bigger stage to make a splash. It appeared that he sunk, rather than swam, and if he was fishing for support for his "expertise", no one was taking the bait.
