Highway district says it saved taxpayers money

The Weiser Valley Highway District on Monday  finished the final work on the Jenkins Creek culvert project. The small portion of County Road 70 that was torn up from the culvert work was paved.
 In a press release from the highway district, commissioners with the district  said they have withheld some payment to the contractor on the culvert project for the extended closure of County Road 70 last winter during the installation of a new culvert.  
 “The highway district wants to pass on to the taxpayers that due to last winter’s extended closure length on County Road 70, beyond what had been agreed to, the commissioners claimed “liquidated damages” against the contractor’s final payment,” officials said.
 The amount that was retained by the district totaled $5,250 “for not following the contracted specs for road closure time limits.”
 Highway district officials said the work was done correctly and met all expectations, “but the lengthy disruption to our citizens was intolerable,” the news release said.
 Additionally, the commissioners for the highway district, Bruce Winegar, Wayne Stafford and Jeff Boles, appointed Jerod Odoms to the position of director of highways (road supervisor) on April 11.
 Officials said there was a benefit to designating a day-to-day supervisor of the district’s operations.
 Odoms, his wife Sarah and their four children have been lifelong residents of Weiser and he has been employed by the district for six years.
 Some may remember his great-grandfather Carl, grandfather Alvie and father LaVern living on Pringle Road only a half mile from where he now works.
 He said he takes pride in serving the community he and his family call home.  
 Odoms said he is grateful to the district commissioners and believes they have the best interest of the people in mind and are leading the district in a responsible way.