The fireworks display during the 2016 Fourth of July Celebration will be launched from the roof of the Newton County Judicial Center.
Robert Foxworth, a citizen who has helped produce the county’s Fourth of July’s fireworks made the request of the Board of Commissioners (BOC) on Tuesday. Foxworth told the board had had spoken with Judge Samuel Ozburn, gotten approval from Newton’s judges and met with Emergency Management Director Jody Nolan, Covington Fire Marshall Tony Smith and Kerr. He told the BOC that there will be five firemen on the roof, water and fire extinguishers, along with a bucket truck available nearby.
“This just adds to the show for the Fourth of July,” Foxworth said. “Every year the show gets bigger and bigger, and more people come to our county.”
The board unanimously approved the request.
Buncie Lanners Day
Tuesday, Feb. 16, 2016 was proclaimed Buncie Hay Lanners day by the Newton County Board of Commissioners (BOC).
Lanners, who was at the BOC meeting in support of Newton High School student and jazz musician Hezekiah Rodgers, was recognized for her work with helping hundreds of Newton County students learn the importance of arts.
“Buncie and her whole family have given back to this community as long as I can remember, Newton County Chair Keith Ellis said. She has joyful spirit and good love and good will for Newton County and its people.”
Harbin engineering to be reviewed
Golder and Associates will conduct a peer review of Harbin Engineering, after the BOC unanimously approved the former’s $6,000 bid.
Four firms indicated to Interim Newton County Manager Lloyd Kerr it would submit a proposal for a peer review of the county’s solid waste engineer. As of Tuesday, the county received two proposals, Golder and Oasis Consulting.
Oasis proposal was for a review at an hourly rate ranging from $45 to $150 an hour, not to exceed $25,000, according to Kerr.
“Both the companies are well respected in the environmental engineering business, and both are capable and able to do the review,” he told the BOC. “Assuming if these are equal, it’s very difficult to compare apples to apples on this type of request. Since both firms are suited to the task, I recommend to you, if the board does want to proceed, to go with Golder and Associates’ proposal.”
Brick Store moves forward
After placing a revised draft of the Brick Store Overlay on the county’s website, Kerr requested the planning commission move forward to the public hearing stage.
Kerr told the BOC that there have been no comments concerning the overlay, and the county has not been contacted by the public concerning the ordinances.
