By By ROBERT BLANKENSHIP
Staff Writer
The Escambia County Commission approved to enter into a contract with CSX Railroad for the placement of signs and paint at two crossings during a meeting on Monday.
The agreement calls for CSX to place pavement painting and railroad warnings on flashing signs at crossings on Sam Jones Road and Old Atmore Road. It does not include crossing bars. Once CSX had placed those items it will be the county's responsibility to maintain and replace them as needed.
Both crossings are in the Wawbeek community.
The commissioners approved to enter into the contract by a unanimous vote.
The commission also addressed the following items during the meeting.
The county passed a resolution, pending an approval by the county lawyer,
to enter into a contract with GovDeals, an internet service for auctioning surplus equipment.
The service will allow the county to place any surplus equipment on-line where prospective buyers can enter bids to purchase.
There is no fee for the purchase, but there is a 7.5 percent commission on any item sold, according to County Administrator Tony Sanks.
If the county is not pleased with the service, there is no fee to stop placing items on the site.
County Engineer John Downing reported to the commission that a resident
off of County Road 12, east of Hwy. 21 has offered to sell gravel from his property to the county.
The commission has looked into entering into an agreement with International
Paper for the use of two gravel pits on their property. The terms of that contract will include a minimum gravel purchase of $5,000.
The county typically pays 50 cents per yard for gravel.
The commission is considering which of the two suppliers to use or if they should enter into agreements with both.
If the county decides to use all three pits, Sanks said the commission would have to monitor the amount taken from each very carefully.
the purchases very carefully. The commission would have to make sure that the minimum purchase of $5,000 is fulfilled with IP," he said.
He added that the county uses enough gravel to warrant the use of all three pits, but stressed the importance of coordinating to meet IP's minimum purchase.
No action was taken on the matter.
The commission entered into a contract with the South Alabama Region Planning Commission to provide funds for the county's Agency on Aging.
The contract, which is renewed annually, calls for a $5,000 decrease in funds for Escambia County's program. Sanks said the decrease is due to an increase last year for a program that was not implemented by SARPC.
The county will also receive five fewer meals for the SAIL Centers. Sanks said it is likely that those are meals that the county did not use last year and are being reappropriated to county's that may need them.
The next county commission will be held on Oct. 24 at 9 a.m.