By Susan Redden
news@joplinglobe.com
CARTHAGE, Mo. —
A Lamar firm was hired Tuesday to complete a Jasper County project to address erosion problems along Spring River east of Carthage.
The Jasper County Commission approved a contract with Bennett Inc., Lamar, totaling $64,940 on work to correct a longstanding problem in the Morrow Mill area.
The firm’s bid was the lowest among three contractors that submitted proposals to do the work, said Jim Honey, Eastern District associate commissioner.
“We haven’t discussed a starting date for the project, but it has to be done by Oct. 10,” he said.
The county is working with the Natural Resources Conservation Service on the progrect and federal funds will pay 75 percent of the costs. Remaining funds will come from the county road accounts because of the potential impact of flooding on County Road 118 and a bridge downstream, Honey said.
Commissioners have discussed the problem for years and approved plans for the project after federal funds for the work became available.
Michael Malone, an NRCS civil engineer, told commissioners in July that the work would remove a small section of the Morrow Mill dam, stabilize about 400 feet of the river’s bank,. and fill in much of an area that has been eroded away over the years.
Malone said the part of the dam to be removed is directing the river flow toward a nearby residential property that has lost about an acre of land. He said the project will “lock the bank” in place and allow the stream to resume its natural flow. NRCS worked with the county in drafting the request for bids and showing the site to potential contractors.
In other action Tuesday, commissioners approved the purchase of a boom-arm mower from Murphy Tractor, Springfield, at a cost of $25,354 and approved the sale of a pneumatic roller to the Webb City public works department at a cost of $5,000. The commission declared the roller as surplus property because it was not being used by the county.
Appointments
The commission re-appointed four residents to Jasper County Mental Health Board. Accepting additional three-year terms are John Reeve, Susan Ross, Jim Haynes and Ruth Guzman.
