For farmers, a pair of votes at county level

Oconee County’s agricultural advisory board is acting to soften the plight of farmers whose large machinery is increasingly having trouble maneuvering some of the county’s narrowest roads.  The board took a couple of votes yesterday to approach the postal service and the county and state road departments for assistance.  At times, heavy modern-day combines and hay equipment accidentally strike roadside mail boxes and impede roadside brush and tree limbs.  One board member said he had a productive talk with a DOT worker about getting increased maintenance on limbs and brush. Moving mailboxes back, however, could be more problematic, as the quality of road shoulders limits how far mail carriers may pull off a road to drop mail in a roadside box.