BROOKHAVEN — Lincoln County engineer Ryan Holmes gave a brief update on various projects Monday morning. Holmes gave updates on bridges and an HVAC project to the Lincoln County Board of Supervisors. 

He told the board Paul Jackson and Son’s should have all of their equipment in by the end of the month for a project to replace and upgrade the Lincoln County Courthouse HVAC system. Holmes said they are shooting to start the first week of December but can push the start date of the project to the first of the year. 

The last piece of equipment will be shipped on Nov. 20. Holmes said he plans to meet with department heads as the project start date gets closer and he will keep the board updated. 

Supervisors voted to approve a Memorandum of Understanding to accept $500,000 for the HVAC project thanks to the State legislature. In total, the project will cost $2.675 million.  

Bridge projects 

Auburn Drive is back open with the completion of a bridge project and now the County will move forward on two new projects. One project will replace a bridge on Bethel Road after supervisors secured a right of way. Holmes said they will set a bid date this week with the state and the board authorized to advertise the bid. 

A bridge on Lott Smith just north of Mt. Zion Baptist Church is moving forward with being replaced. Holmes said the county already has right of way for the bridge and will set a bid day this week with the state. He added it would help to have both Lott Smith and Bethel bridges up for bid on the same day. 

The bridge on Lott Smith has timber components. It will be an Emergency Road and Bridge Repair Fund project, Holmes said. 

Changes to roads

Holmes advised the board that property owners on Merchants Lane petitioned the board to make it a public road. Merchants Lane is located off of Saints Trail 

In order for a private road to be made public, a petition must be turned in to the road registar, the board attorney then checks the petition, the Board of Supervisors appoints two board members to look at the road and then the county engineer will look at the road. Holmes said the petition has been made. 

In executive session, Supervisors voted to shorten the length of public road on Big Ern Trail in District 5 off of Jackson Liberty Drive. District 5 Supervisor Doug Falvey said part of the road needed to be made private. 

Supervisors voted to approve amending the road registry where the public road will be shortened by 273 feet to make a portion of it private. Falvey said a private landowner owns land on both sides of the road on that portion and it will help keep out illicit activity which had previously gone on there. 

Board Attorney Greg Malta said there is not a process for making a portion of a dead end public road private.