Nevada County Picayune and Gurdon Times Newspaper Archive

Judge's Corner

I think as I started my article last time, I talked about how hot and dry it was. Well, it has changed some. We have had some rain, but not a lot. It was just enough for us to get a few buses, cars and trucks stuck in fresh gravel.

It seems to never fail that when we try to upgrade and put new gravel in critical places, it rains the most.

We are not going to let anything stop us this time before we get the Harts Chapel road blacktopped. You cannot know how good this makes me feel. Nineteen years ago the judge requested that the people who live on this road move their fences back so he could blacktop their road. The citizens on this road moved their fences back. I do not know of another place in Clark County where the citizens have done this. If it is the Lord's will and nothing serious happens between now and October these people will get to see their 19-year dream come true.

I realize the things I am about to discuss are not unique. I am sure it has happened to many judges before me and will happen to many more after I am gone. Now do not get me wrong, I am not complaining. In my office we do not have problems, only challenges and opportunities. Many of them are in the form of requests. Let's look at a few of them.

First, this citizen called and said that they had just moved into this community two weeks ago and their road was not blacktopped and that the dust was killing them. I hung up the phone after a long discussion as to why the road was not paved.

Then the phone rang again and the citizen on the other end told me that they had lived one-quarter mile off the road and their driveway had not been graded since I had been in office. To that I stated that it is against county policy to grade private driveways with county equipment. Then the person got irate and said every judge before me did it and asked me what my problem was. A challenge, right?

Another citizen called me to let me know that they have allergies and that the dust makes it worse. I was then asked to pave their road. Another citizen said that they have asthma and wanted their road paved. Then a citizen call to let me know that there was a large rock coming out of the ground and busting oil pans and wanted the road paved. One person said that the ants were all over their place and wanted to know what I was going to do about it. The list goes on and the challenges are too numerous to even begin to list all of them. Some people get angry, others are frustrated, or they cry.

So to all these let me say that I realize that your needs and wishes are real to you. I want you to continue to call, but please remember I want to do all these things for you as badly as you want them done. It is humanly impossible to cover them all in one day, one year, or in one lifetime. As long as I am your county judge, I am going to do all that is possible to improve not only roads but every place of need in Clark County.

We have 30 people in the road department and eight in sanitation and not a one of them is sitting at the county shop waiting for a call to do something. They are all out there busy each day working for you. So I guess I am just asking you to be patient and we will get there as soon as possible.

I have been asked by one doctor to pave a road that I had already planned to do. This is okay, but I have been asked to reopen two roads by individuals that has not been open in 15 years. I have been asked by an individual in Manchester to open a road in that area that has been closed for about 10 years, and it will take at least $3,000 to put a bridge across a creek, a full day's Dozer work and several loads of gravel. This road will seldom be used. I am not sure this is spending county money wisely. One thing must be remembered, the system of coundy roads is strickly under the county judge's authority.

I guess it is time to bring you up to date on what we have spent on roads and sanitation so far this year. It has certainly been an expensive year and it is not over.

So far this year we have hauled 69,000 yards of gravel at a cost of $41,698. We have installed 90 culverts on county roads at a cost of $43,101. We have spent $4,696 for our fuel, oil and lubricants. To date we have spent $36,347 on tires. We still have four months to go.

However, many projects are coming together. In closing, let me add that I have been asked many questions about this job. Let me assure you that it is an awesome responsibility and I appreciate you putting your trust in me. Thank you.

--Grady Runyan