County public works staff told the Richland County Public Works Committee that paving operations for County Road Old are scheduled to begin at the end of next week after current prep work; curb and gutter installation is complete and crews are backfilling, seeding and mulching.

Staff reported the monthly bills included several larger items: a payment to Midstates of approximately $17,000 for mastic used on state projects; a roughly $17,000 invoice to Bridal Bauer for culvert installations and backfill material on township roads; and a $61,000 expenditure on the County Road Old construction project. Staff said work on state roads continues with mastic and crack-filling and that county maintenance activities include mowing and ditching.

The committee was told staff is preparing an equipment auction for October. Items identified for disposal include a D8 dozer, a smaller dump truck (the transcript references a baby dump truck with an engine replaced earlier this year), one tri-axle dump truck, two tandem-axle dump trucks, a stump grinder, a sand blaster, an older brine maker, a scale house and associated small equipment. Staff said the auction list also includes poly tubes from inventory and other small items; no final auction date or estimated revenues were given at the meeting.

On communications infrastructure, staff reported progress and delays at the Yuba radio tower site. The retaining wall at the site is finished and the contractor is working on the building. The physical tower was expected to ship the week of Oct. 22, but production delays on microwave components — previously expected by Oct. 20 — are slowing final completion. Staff said a crossover (cutover) is planned for Dec. 15, but finalization of two frequencies remains outstanding. County staff said they have contacted the emergency responder agency to request its frequency listing so reprogramming funds can be allocated.

No formal votes were taken on operations items at the meeting. The committee did approve the meeting agenda and the September minutes at the start of the meeting. The chair called for a motion to approve the agenda; the motion was seconded and recorded as approved. The minutes from September were also approved without discussion.

Staff said they are preparing the next monthly report and will return with updates on paving operations, auction scheduling and tower frequency finalization.