Walhalla can count on street and sidewalk money

The three-member state “C” Fund Committee for Oconee County authorized around $700 thousand this morning for street and sidewalk work in the city of Walhalla.  Sam Dickson, committee chairman, requested Brandon Burton, the city administrator, to apply most of the money to street paving.  Burton gave the committee a long list of street and sidewalk projects, with estimated price tags.  According to Burton, sections of S. Laurel Street and S. Pine Street, among other state roads in Walhalla, are in the worst condition.  Those conditions include potholes and alligator cracks.  On S. John Street, he said, there is damage to storm drains.  The committee approved the allocation on the understanding that the money will be distributed through the local “C” fund over the next two years.  By rule, one-third of the monies controlled by the committee must be allocated to the local state DOT for projects within the county.  And, today, Randy Russell of the local DOT office submitted requests for as much as $4.8 million.  The committee’s Dick Cottingham asked questions about how much monies are available to be disbursed, but Chairman Sam Dickson said, “We have plenty of money.”