To the Editor:
I want to report some facts on a happening that is disturbing to me and to other rural residents in this part of our county.
I have a friend-neighbor who owns a cattle and hauling business here in eastern Lincoln County.
He runs his business from his farm-home just east of Highway 99 at about 810 Road and 3570 Road. His equipment is kept in clean, excellent shape.
While driving one of his several cattle-hauling rigs from Hwy 99 east to his home, he was stopped by a Lincoln County sheriff ’s patrol and was issued a summons to appear in court for driving a truck on a road deemed,“No trucks allowed.” This was August 19, and the court date was August 28. He paid a fine of $290.
Before I write on, let me give you a couple of facts. This farmer-hauler’s truck weighs 32,000 lbs empty, which is how it was on August 19.
The county’s road equipment and trucks weigh up to twice that much weight, and traverse the same roads constantly five days or more per week. Double standard, I ask? This event happened in District 1.
The last Dist. 1 Commissioner, with input from others, seemed to think that they could convince the rural voters, taxpayers, and road users that the cause of our pitiful roads was due to heavy trucks. Trucks are not the reason for Lincoln County’s pitiful roads. It is because our roads were built on insufficient base.
“No trucks allowed” is a lame excuse. “Not enough money” is another lame excuse.
No common sense and no logic applied is definitely not acceptable to us. Most of our county commissioners and personnel are nice guys, bust same old-same old method of road maintenance that has been used and failed for the past 30 years is unacceptable.
For a county whose primary businesses are cattle and petroleum, “No trucks allowed” doesn’t get it. In both businesses, trucking is needed extensively.
Respectfully, Robert Hanneken Stroud