Commission discusses storm damage
Times photo/Jessi Dreckman Although most of the damage reported in the county from last weekend’s storms involved downed trees and branches, the fence at the new sports complex across from the Gainesville High School sustained quite a bit of damage. “The fence is 16 feet high in center field (pictured above). The posts are buried 8 feet deep with concrete. The wind blew hard enough to bend some of the posts over at the ground,” Superintendent Justin Gilmore told the Times. “The fence will probably be replaced in areas and fixed in others. We will look to reinforce the fence somehow; however, mother nature can be very destructive sometimes.”
According to the Ozark County Commissioners, several trees were damaged and fell across the roads and highways during the strong storms that swept across the Ozarks during the early Sunday morning hours.
During their regular Monday morning meeting, commissioners said no structural damage was reported to them, but that the Ozark County Road and Bridge crews were out much of Sunday clearing roads in order for residents and mail carriers to access the county roads.
“[My damage] was just confined to a small area,” said Western District Commissioner Layne Nance. “A couple scattered ones here and there but nothing much.”
“Just a lot of trees and limbs,” added Eastern District Commissioner Gary Collins.
The commissioners also say the Ozark County Recycling Center on County Road 502 will be closed Friday, June 14 and Friday, June 21 in order to fully train a newly hired employee.
“We don’t want anybody there by themselves because of the machinery,” said Presiding Commissioner Terry Newton.
The commissioners expect the new employee to be hired this week.
The Ozark County Courthouse and government offices will be closed Wednesday, June 19 in observance of Juneteenth.