Jackson Lane
Posted by: 30CareyBJ
What do the people who live on Jackson Lane have to do to get someone’s attention about fixing the road? Well I can’t answer that for everyone, but here are a few of my thoughts.
2007 the county put something called chip and seal on the gravel road. Although this was not a permanent solution many of the residents were happy. 1) No more dust; 2) It kept pot holes from forming as often; 3) It was less damage on your vehicle.
That worked until the fall of 2008, a notice went out in the Boonville Daily News that the Cooper County was going to prepare the road to be paved or concrete lay the next spring. The County did their part and packed in a lot of dirt and gravel of all sorts. They said next spring they would start the work. Well, spring came and work began, everyone was excited. Not for long, before we knew it work stopped as quickly as it had begun. There was a problem with electrical lines or phone lines being in the ground where the county needed to dig.
Later that year the City of Boonville requested to be put on the ballot that they wanted to annex in several hundred county acres. I personally being from this town for over 40 years couldn’t believe the thought of Boonville taking on more acreage, roads, anything more. A person running for the County Commissioners office approached me and asked my thoughts about the annexation. We happened to be standing in the middle of Spring Street during one of the festivals. My first comment to him was; how is Boonville going to take on such a large responsibility when they can’t even care for what they already have. For instance that LARGE pot hole that your standing in the middle of (it was about 3×3 feet). I went on to comment about their lack of other items that needed care. None the less, the City of Boonville was given an opportunity to put the annexation on the ballot, it was voted down by the people…
The purpose for this letter now that you have a little background is, what about Jackson Lane. I’ll admit I bought a home off this road and if I didn’t want to live on gravel then I shouldn’t have moved here. Gravel is not my issue. My issue is with the County Commissioners Office. My neighbors and I have tried several times to call them during normal business hours. I have tried calling 2-3 times per week for the last 2 weeks. But this happens every year. What I normally end up doing is calling The County Commissioner himself, Ed Brickner at his home. He always has the same answer for me, we’re always in the office, maybe you have the wrong number. He also tells me he’ll personally drive the road and see what they can do.
What have they done? NOTHING, there are potholes all up and down and side to side on this road. Their bad enough that if you have a car, and hit one of those holes you’re going to bottom out. Not to mention that the water cuts deep groves down the side and middle of the roads because there are no ditches. Now if it were only a couple bad places, I wouldn’t complain. I’ll admit that the weather hasn’t been the best this winter, but a little gravel put in those holes would help. Take a little drive down Jackson lane and tell the commissioners your thought….
County Commissioner – Ed Brickner 660-427-5336
Eastern County Commissioner – Paul Davis 660-882-7850