Phillips County reports progress

    Amidst the usual year-end action, big progress has been visible on two major County projects: the courthouse parking lot and the new Pavilion and Education Center.
    The Phillips County Board of Commissioners reported at the Nov. 30 meeting that McAtee Paving of Sterling had finished all but the parking stripes at the east parking lot at the courthouse.
    The board also received one bid for the removal of the scale house at the fairgrounds from Jerry Haynes for $275. With that structure gone, the site is now cleared of all the old buildings that sat where the new pavilion will be constructed next year. Dirt is currently being brought in to level the area.
    A bid to install a 6-inch water main extension from Ensminger Construction was also accepted. The $27,873.23 project will facilitate the new pavilion and the RV park.
    Commissioners also reviewed and approved draft specifications for the pavilion. Sealed bids for materials for the 250-foot-by-350-foot steel building will be accepted until noon Friday, Dec. 15. The board will then hold a 1 p.m. special meeting to open and review the bids.
    
Shoulders needed on Hwy 385
    Last month Jeff Vickers and Jeff Doleshall, representatives from Colorado Department of Transportation, met with commissioners to seek input as to which improvements the County would like to see on Highway 385.
    The board said that their first priority is to add shoulders to the highway. With the number of oversized loads that take that road through the county, it’s a safety concern. A Jan. 8 meeting is tentatively scheduled for the board to meet with the High Plains Highway group to coordinate all the area requests for CDOT.