Observations all along the line - Kimball & the Southern Panhandle First

Still no decision on Road 59 South of dix

Concerned residents of Kimball County shared their thoughts regarding Road 59 south of Dix on Tuesday, March 19, at the regular Board of Commissioner meeting.

Still no decision has come to surface about the seven mile stretch south of Dix. Discussion still continues to if it should be milled up and put back to gravel, be the first road in Kimball county to have a cold mix over top, have a double chip seal (what is currently done to the road) or use a hot mix over top with the current road being milled up to put back to gravel as well and the hot mix or double chip seal.

Out of the four options, the lesser cost would be to mill the current black top and put it back to gravel down, but some residents are concerned that will make the the road conditions worsen with heavy truck traffic during the harvest months.

Kimball County resident Joe Nicholas said his ideas would be to either do it the right way – being the hot mix – or to not do anything at all.

Only Commissioner Larry Engstrom and Commissioner Timothy Nolting were present. A decision was made to table the item for a future date.

Also on the agenda was County Buildings and Ground Superintendent Jim Calvin to discuss updates and repairs to the High Point Welcome Center.

Currently the Welcome Center has a commercial size large water heater of at least 85 gallons. Brian Williams of Kimball Plumbing addressed the commissioners with Calvin to talk about costs to put in a new smaller water heater.

Williams gave the commissioners three options:

– Putting in point of use water heaters, a smaller box attached to the sinks to use hot water.

– A tankless water heater with 100 percent efficiency that only uses the fuel when hot water is called for.

– A smaller tank water heater, a 40 gallon tank.

Also in the Welcome Center, a third restroom yet to be hooked since it was first taken over by the county will soon become functioning. The board agreed to fix the third restroom as well as install a 40-gallon hot water heater in the up coming future.