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<br />Flash flood- washes out roach.
<br />by Monty Gaddy
<br />A flash flood Sunday evening filled the Spring
<br />Branch Creek near Fondis to overflowing,
<br />creating a torrent so strong it washed out an
<br />access road and carried a large culvert away.
<br />Ron Vote, a longtime resident of the Fondis
<br />area, said 21/2 inches of rain and hail fell at his
<br />place in 11/2 hours. "But east of here they had over
<br />three inches," Vote said. "The creek hasn't been
<br />that full since the flood of '65."
<br />The downpour caused water to run across
<br />several Elbert County roads in the Fondle area.
<br />The overflowing Spring Branch Creek, which
<br />forms the headwaters of the Bijou Creek,
<br />completely washed out an access road. The road
<br />goes north off County Road 94 and leads to the
<br />Fondis gravel pit.
<br />Commissioner Frank Starkey said We not the
<br />first time the county has encountered . problems
<br />with the access road. It washed out once last
<br />year, and the county responded by increasing the
<br />culvert size with two culverts which were 6 -feet in
<br />diameter. Even that, however, wasn't enough to
<br />withstand the wall of water created by Sunday's
<br />flash flood. The torrent took the road and
<br />one culvert with it.
<br />Starkey said the county will again increase the
<br />culvert Size, and will also build a rock wall on the
<br />east face of the embankment.
<br />CORRECTION
<br />An article in last week's paper incorrectly
<br />stated the Fondis gravel pit is owned by the
<br />Gambit Corporation. The gravel pit is owned and
<br />operated by Elbert County. After receiving
<br />complaints about how the gravel pit was being
<br />mined, the county contracted with the Gambit
<br />Corporation. The land management company
<br />will do consulting work aimed at helping the
<br />county develop appropriate procedures on the
<br />Fondis gravel pit. The county agreed to pay the
<br />company $2,280 for the first 40 hours of
<br />consulting work.
<br />photo oy non vom
<br />The overflowing Spring Branch Creek
<br />covered this road near Fondle after a flash
<br />flood Sunday evening.
<br />photo by Ron VOW
<br />Elbert County equipment parked near the
<br />creek was 'knee -deep' in water Sunday
<br />evening.
<br />The salvage car no written policy, to his
<br />A second allegation the DA's knowledge, pertaining to the
<br />office looked at regarded a 1978 payment of spouses' expenses,
<br />Ford vehicle, previously used by but that the commissioners had
<br />the assessor's office, which agreed it would be allowed.
<br />Commissioner Starkey pur- Ramona Lown, secretary to
<br />chased as 'salvage' .from; thg, the commissioners for seven
<br />county for $50. Starkey �re years, confirmed that in the
<br />presently using the car as hie, past the county has paid all or
<br />personal vehicle. part of the spouses'expensesfor
<br />Investigator Bell said the commissioners trips.
<br />reason the vehicle was placed
<br />on a salvage list was not it
<br />subject of his investigation. i'A•
<br />specific issue," Bell stated,
<br />"appeared to be an allegation
<br />that just prior to purchasing the
<br />vehicle from Elbert County,
<br />Starkey had new tires and an
<br />expensive stereo system
<br />installed in the vehicle at his
<br />direction."
<br />Bell said Starkey adamantly
<br />denied the allegation. Bell said
<br />Starkey provided copies of
<br />personal canceled checks whi
<br />he phe c pu t(�
<br />the car. Starkey said the tires
<br />were mounted at the locations
<br />where he IN'aDe tV*1 and
<br />Summery
<br />Investigator Bell stated that
<br />his report'did not attempt to
<br />reflect an in -depth investi-
<br />gation into the three primary
<br />issues. "In fact, some of the
<br />other allegations raised by the
<br />Recall Committee were not
<br />looked into at all, because even
<br />if true, they probably would not
<br />rise to the level of criminal
<br />conduct," Bell stated. "This
<br />report reflects only a pre-
<br />liminary look in order to
<br />ascertain whether or not we
<br />should proceed further with this
<br />investigation."
<br />The decision wak to not
<br />proceed
<br />IIIIIIINNHININNIIINNiII�IIII�IINNI�
<br />Mined Land 0 0 0 1 2 o 0 3
<br />Sinftleenihaviwons scnolarsrnp
<br />This photo, taken from the north looking south, shows the effect Sunday's flash flood had Kimberly Peterson, a senior she would like to work in a
<br />on an Elbert County accost road that leads to the Fondle gravel pit. at Big Sandy High School, is the national park doing more to
<br />winner of a $500 scholarship preserve wildlife.
<br />awarded by Grange Insurance Kimberly has been a member
<br />Association of Seattle, of Future Homemakers of
<br />y �/a.R+irrnnA '�—t
<br />THURSDAY. MAY 29,
<br />1991 - f 9HWND NEWS, PAGE
<br />INVESTIGATION ;ENDS
<br />Continued from front page '..
<br />invited the - investigator to
<br />of the building to Elbert County.
<br />verify the information.
<br />Ieporttgat Bell said to his
<br />The.report says both Starkey
<br />h
<br />and Graves referred to a
<br />chance twith a personal
<br />chance "maknotyet anal
<br />"breakdown in communi -.
<br />which resulted in the
<br />contact with those two
<br />cations,"
<br />building not being delivered as
<br />establishments.
<br />BY his own admission, Bell's
<br />initially promised.
<br />investigation of the car stereo
<br />Elbert County subsequently
<br />allegation consisted only of a
<br />filed a civil action against Mr.
<br />Peek through the car window.
<br />Graves, which has not yet been
<br />It should ibexnoted that this
<br />resolved. Investigator Bell said ...
<br />investigator observed a
<br />he found nothing in the
<br />radio /tape in the dash of the
<br />'phantom building' fiasco
<br />vehicle," Bell stated. "One of
<br />which would indicate criminal
<br />.
<br />the knobs was missing and it
<br />activity on the part of either
<br />appeared to be anything but
<br />Commissioner Starkey or
<br />new or expensive. From
<br />Frank Graves.
<br />outward appearances, the
<br />Chief Deputy District
<br />allegation of an expensive
<br />Attorney John Jordon said in a
<br />system in this vehicle
<br />Monday telephone interview
<br />.stereo
<br />cannot be substantiated."
<br />that while the 'phantom
<br />building' issue remains
<br />Spouses' expenses
<br />unresolved, he views it as a civil
<br />The third matter the DA's
<br />matter.
<br />Commissioner Starkey said
<br />office investigated was an
<br />allegation that Commissioner
<br />he agrees with that assessment.
<br />Starkey had taken his wife on a
<br />The county stands a better
<br />number of trips that he was
<br />chance of getting its down
<br />required to attend officially as a
<br />payment returned if it is
<br />commissioner, and that Elbert
<br />pursued as a civil matter
<br />County had paid for all or part
<br />instead of a criminal matter, he
<br />of the expenses of his wife on
<br />said. "I feel I myself personally,
<br />those tripe.
<br />and the county officially, made
<br />Starkey told the investigator
<br />every effort to get Mr. Graves to
<br />he had in fact taken his wife
<br />come in and meet with us, to
<br />with . him on a number of
<br />resolve whatever differences we
<br />conferences : throughout the
<br />had," Starkey said. "But he
<br />state, but that other commis -
<br />never showed up at our
<br />Sioners in the past have done
<br />meetings"
<br />the same. Starkey said there is
<br />The salvage car no written policy, to his
<br />A second allegation the DA's knowledge, pertaining to the
<br />office looked at regarded a 1978 payment of spouses' expenses,
<br />Ford vehicle, previously used by but that the commissioners had
<br />the assessor's office, which agreed it would be allowed.
<br />Commissioner Starkey pur- Ramona Lown, secretary to
<br />chased as 'salvage' .from; thg, the commissioners for seven
<br />county for $50. Starkey �re years, confirmed that in the
<br />presently using the car as hie, past the county has paid all or
<br />personal vehicle. part of the spouses'expensesfor
<br />Investigator Bell said the commissioners trips.
<br />reason the vehicle was placed
<br />on a salvage list was not it
<br />subject of his investigation. i'A•
<br />specific issue," Bell stated,
<br />"appeared to be an allegation
<br />that just prior to purchasing the
<br />vehicle from Elbert County,
<br />Starkey had new tires and an
<br />expensive stereo system
<br />installed in the vehicle at his
<br />direction."
<br />Bell said Starkey adamantly
<br />denied the allegation. Bell said
<br />Starkey provided copies of
<br />personal canceled checks whi
<br />he phe c pu t(�
<br />the car. Starkey said the tires
<br />were mounted at the locations
<br />where he IN'aDe tV*1 and
<br />Summery
<br />Investigator Bell stated that
<br />his report'did not attempt to
<br />reflect an in -depth investi-
<br />gation into the three primary
<br />issues. "In fact, some of the
<br />other allegations raised by the
<br />Recall Committee were not
<br />looked into at all, because even
<br />if true, they probably would not
<br />rise to the level of criminal
<br />conduct," Bell stated. "This
<br />report reflects only a pre-
<br />liminary look in order to
<br />ascertain whether or not we
<br />should proceed further with this
<br />investigation."
<br />The decision wak to not
<br />proceed
<br />IIIIIIINNHININNIIINNiII�IIII�IINNI�
<br />Mined Land 0 0 0 1 2 o 0 3
<br />Sinftleenihaviwons scnolarsrnp
<br />This photo, taken from the north looking south, shows the effect Sunday's flash flood had Kimberly Peterson, a senior she would like to work in a
<br />on an Elbert County accost road that leads to the Fondle gravel pit. at Big Sandy High School, is the national park doing more to
<br />winner of a $500 scholarship preserve wildlife.
<br />awarded by Grange Insurance Kimberly has been a member
<br />Association of Seattle, of Future Homemakers of
<br />y �/a.R+irrnnA '�—t
<br />
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