The Clay County Public Library was greatly damaged during the 2016 Great Wash Out. Mud and debris up to the wall switches was not the biggest problem. Basement walls were swelled in after the wawa receded. The Library Board has been after FEMA $$$ for the last three years,
  During this CCC gathering, it was announced, the Library is ready to solicit bids for reconstruction. It is expected the bids will be announced later this year with construction to begin early next year.
  By the way, the Library suffers from the same lack of $$$ syndrome that other agencies are facing. The Library is now in raffle and silent auction mode to raise the needed funds. Auction and raffle items are now at the Courthouse as are the tickets.
  Changing topics....  One little fat guy asked: Why don't the Green Shirts pay their own jail bills instead of each County Commission going in debt to cover jailings. That opened up a  lively discussion on how we're getting screwed and how each County Commission in the State is also paying jail bills for DNR Brown Shirt Badges and municipal Blue Shirts. Commissioner King suggested that a penny be added to each bottle of wawa sold and those new funds should be used to cover jail bills. No decisions made and none expected.   Clay County's jail bill is now just shy of a millions buckaroo's.
  Our Elk River Trail System State Park project, our tourism future,  is in trouble. Based on comments made during the most recent BDA meeting, instead of a nice, graveled smooth, hiking biking and horseback riding place, the plan now calls for leaving the rotting railroad ties in place. With those ties left in place, none of the intended uses for the place are possible.  try pushing a baby stroller over the sticking out ties. Who on Earth would try riding a valuable horse on  such conditions.  Nothing can now happen on the ERTS. During that BDA meeting, to the public, it sounded like, Ah Gee, there's nothing we can do.
  With BDA contractor Dustin Fitzwater on hand for the Oct. 23rd CCC meeting, Fran King asked him if our reporting was accurate. After hee hawing around a minute... Yes was his answer and, they plan to cover over the ties with gravel and regrind asphalt.
   So serious is the news, we have renamed the place, Lump Lane.
   Commission Prez Greg Fitzwater ain't the brightest bulb in the pack but for this meeting, he came up with a worthwhile notion.
   Here's the skinny. The State has not included county leadership in ANY decision on the proposed long skinny Park. AS a matter of fact, when the Gov came to make public the announcement on ERTS, the CCC was NOT notified in advance.
   On the 23rd, Fitz apprised the peanut gallery of the CCC being left out of the loop and for those that agree that this new twist is horrible, call the Governor's office and complain.   Hmmmm, darn good idea and one we hope everybody in the county makes such a call.
   The direct line to the Gov's office is: 304 558-2000 or 1 800 438  2731. You can also contact the Gov thru an email contact address right here.
   The Clay County Commission meeting went for almost one hour and was laced for of interesting snippets of knowledge. With Winter coming, public meetings are great place to get out of the cold and irritate public officials. Hope to see you there soon
AW