(A) Establishment.
(1) There is hereby created and established a County Road Department, consisting of a County Road Engineer/Supervisor and other employees of the Department as may from time to time be provided for by the Judge/Executive and Fiscal Court.
(2) The County Road Engineer/Supervisor shall be appointed by the Judge/Executive with the approval of the Fiscal Court as provided in KRS 179.020 and shall serve for a period of 4 years unless removed in accordance with KRS 179.060.
(3) The Fiscal Court shall set the number and compensation of all employees of the Road Department.
(4) All appointments to the Road Department, and removals therefrom, shall be made by the Judge/Executive and Fiscal Court in accordance with the provisions of state law and the county personnel policy.
(5) The County Road Engineer/Supervisor shall possess the qualifications as set forth in KRS 179.020.
(6) If no qualified applicant is found to serve as County Road Engineer/Supervisor, the Judge/Executive may appoint a temporary supervisor for a period not to exceed 3 months, in accordance with the provisions of KRS 179.020.
(Ord. 4-92 § 7.1, passed 5-26-1992; Am. Ord. 2018-08, passed 8-14-2018)
(B) Duties of Road Engineer/Supervisor.
(1) The County Road Engineer/Supervisor shall be the head of the Road Department, subject to the order and direction of the Judge/Executive and Fiscal Court.
(2) The Road Engineer/Supervisor shall keep records and make reports concerning the activities of his or her Department as may be required by statute, this chapter or by the Judge/Executive.
(3) The Road Engineer/Supervisor shall perform the following duties:
(a) Keep records and deliver to successor (KRS 179.040);
(b) Be in charge of county roads and bridges in his or her county to be maintained or improved as required by law (KRS 179.070);
(c) Supervise construction and maintenance of roads and bridges (KRS 179.070);
(d) Make reports required by the Judge/Executive (KRS 179.070, 179.160);
(e) Advise and direct employees on road work (KRS 179.070);
(f) Examine stone and gravel deposits and report to Bureau of Highways (KRS 179.070);
(g) Establish grades; plan means of drainage, repair and improvement (KRS 179.070);
(h) With Fiscal Court, plan construction and maintenance of county roads and bridges (KRS 179.070);
(i) Inspect and supervise construction and improvements of county roads and bridges (KRS 179.070);
(j) Remove obstacles from roads (KRS 179.070);
(k) Make recommendations on speed limits and parking regulations (KRS 179.070);
(l) Approve drainage plans for site development in county (KRS 179.070);
(m) Supervise contractors (KRS 179.150);
(n) Lease or hire machinery, with Fiscal Court approval (KRS 179.180);
(o) Acquire gravel, stone and the like for use on county roads, with Fiscal Court approval (KRS 179.190);
(p) Notify persons responsible for removing obstacles; assess for cost of performing work if performed by county (KRS 179.270, 179.280);
(q) Prevent flooding of roads (KRS 179.300); and
(r) Erect guide boards, with Fiscal Court approval (KRS 179.320).
(4) The Road Engineer/Supervisor shall be responsible for the performance of the Road Department and its functions, and all persons who are employees of the Road Department shall be subject to the supervision and direction of the Road Engineer/Supervisor.
(Ord. 4-92 § 7.2, passed 5-26-1992)
(C) Road Department property.
(1) Equipment and materials for the Road Department shall be acquired in accordance with the provisions of this chapter.
(2) Employees of the Department shall be responsible for the good care of departmental equipment and property, whether fixed or moveable, assigned to their use and keeping and shall promptly report to their supervisor the loss or damage to or unserviceable condition of the property.
(3) Any employee found guilty of damages to or destruction of departmental property or equipment, either through willfulness or negligence, shall be required to pay all costs of repairs or replacement thereto.
(4) All employees of the Road Department shall immediately report to their supervisor the loss of any departmental property or equipment that has been furnished to the individual.
(5) No departmental property or equipment shall be used for private purposes or on private property.
(Ord. 4-92 § 7.3, passed 5-26-1992)
(D) Road inventory/condition.
(1) The County Road Engineer/Supervisor shall prepare and maintain a current inventory of the county road system.
(2) The inventory shall identify all roads by name and/or number; list the number and location of all culverts; list the number and location of all bridges; and any other information that may identify county roads and the condition thereof.
(3) The County Road Engineer/Supervisor shall annually prepare and submit to the Fiscal Court for approval a county road plan which shall provide for the expenditure of county road funds and set priorities for the construction and maintenance of county roads and bridges.
(Ord. 4-92 § 7.4, passed 5-26-1992)
(E) Specifications for county roads.
(1) Roads may be accepted into the county road system by the Fiscal Court in accordance with KRS 179.470 and the minimum specifications set forth in this chapter.
(2) Prior to Fiscal Court consideration of a road for acceptance into the county road system, the County Road Engineer shall certify that the following specifications have been met or exceeded:
(a) Surveyed centerline and legal description of proposed road prepared by a licensed Kentucky registered land surveyor;
(b) A copy of all property owner’s deeds and a certification of good, marketable and fee simple title in the property of the owners proposing to deed the road right-of-way to the county;
(c) Certification by the property owners that fences, buildings, gates and cattle gates have been removed from the proposed county road and right-of-way;
(d) Road right-of-way shall have a minimum width of 50 feet; road pavement width shall be a minimum of 22 feet and shall consist of 10 inches compacted D.G.A. (dense grade aggregate), 1-1/2 inches of bituminous binder and 1 inch bituminous surface; and
(e) Road shall be properly ditched and tiled with cross drain pipes of adequate size and road banks stabilized in grass or other suitable cover.
(Ord. 4-92 § 7.5, passed 5-26-1992)
Cross-reference:
Roads maintained by county, see T.S.O. III