Road Quibble Brings Sharp Words

By David Howell
Editor

COFFEEVILLE – A road complaint lodged at last Tuesday’s supervisor meeting meet resistance after the complainant agreed that his supervisor had promptly responded to problems in the past.

Robert Taylor, who lives on County Road 159 in District 3, also had to fend off claims that a lawsuit filed by his son against the county in 2007 lacked merit.

“My road looks like a deer trail, it is terrible,” Taylor explained to supervisors, when it was his turn to address the board at the Coffeeville meeting held last Tuesday, July 6.

Taylor explained that his road “gave in” last winter after excessive rain, and road crew workers from District 3 brought numerous dump truck loads of large rocks and washed gravel to fix the problem. Now, the rocks are making the road hazardous to travel, Taylor explained, adding an oil pan on one of his vehicles had been penetrated by one of the rocks.

“I buy a lot of tags here. I think I am due a decent road to drive on. I am not asking for a whole lot,” Taylor told supervisors. “I know the county needs money, but I need a decent road,” Taylor reiterated.

District 3 Supervisor M.H.” Butch” Surrette initially explained there were only a few houses on the road, and his crew did not work the road regularly.

Taylor, who was accompanied by his son, then had to fend off claims that a lawsuit filed by his son in 2007 against the sheriff’s department for the alleged use of excessive force during a traffic stop in 2006 was bogus.

“Aren’t you Robert Taylor Jr.,” Board Attorney John Crow asked, pointing to his son.

“Yes sir,” Taylor answered.

“Y’all sued us on that bogus claim, and you are talking about tax dollars,” Crow said.

“What bogus claim?” Taylor asked.

“That bogus claim about your son here,” Crow answered.

“No sir, it wasn’t bogus,” Taylor answered.

“That hasn’t nothing to do with this road here,” Taylor said.

“I know sir, it doesn’t,” Crow agreed. “But, you brought up one subject, I was curious about your concern about all this money you paid for the roads, which very little goes to roads. It goes to school systems and mostly the general county fund,” Crow responded.

“That wasn’t a bogus suit, sir. We got medical proof of this. That is not to be heard here. If y’all wanted to hear that, you should have carried it to court,” Taylor countered.

“I believed y’all settled for $2,000,” Crow said.

“No, it was $2,500,” Taylor answered.

“$2,500,” Crow said.

“Get it right,” Taylor responded.

“That was after we paid that deductible on the bogus claim,” Crow said.

“It was not bogus. I detest that right here in front of everybody. I witnessed that abuse. I witnessed that abuse,” Taylor responded. “They did not want us to come to court.”

“We are going to discuss the roads and get out of here,” District 5 Supervisor Frank “Bubba” Tillman, said, intervening in the lawsuit debate.

“I know why he put those big rocks on there, I have to do it all the time,” District 5 Supervisor Tillman said. “He had to put something in there to fill the hole up.”

“I do to,” Taylor agreed. “I used to build roads,” Taylor continued.

“Looks like you have tried to help him, Butch,” Tillman said.

“Yep. I don’t know why you (Taylor) are here. There isn’t a soul in here that can put any gravel on your road or cut any bushes on your road but me,” Surrette told Taylor.

“You need to be talking to me if you want something done… John (Crow) hasn’t got a dump truck, Amy (McMinn) is not coming out there,” Surrette continued. “If you want something done, you need to call me.”

“When you call me I usually come over there and do something,” Surrette told him.

“Yes you do,” Taylor agreed. “I will give you that.”

“Then what are you up here for?” Surrette asked. “Who are you up here talking to?”

“I was told these are the people I had to come talk to,” Taylor answered.

“Who told you that?” Surrette continued.

“I called over to the sheriff’s department,” Taylor answered.

“The sheriff told you you need to come talk to the board?” Surrette asked.

“No, it was a lady on the phone up there,” Taylor answered.

“You don’t need to talk to anybody but me if you want something done because these people are not going to do anything for you,” Surrette continued.

“Okay, well I am talking to you then,” Taylor said.

“Naw, don’t talk to me here, you talk to me out there,” Surrette responded. “You are up here in the wrong place. You are up here grandstanding is what you are doing,” Surrette said.

“No,” Taylor responded.

“Yes you are. You are talking to these people. These people are not coming out there. They are not going to do a thing for you. Just like in the past, everything that has been done for you, I did it for you.” Surrette said.

“You been a good man, I will give you that,” Taylor said.

“All right, then what are you doing up here then?” Surrette asked.

“I could not get a holt of you, Mr. Butch,” Taylor said.

“All, you can get a holt of me. You know where I live,” Surrette answered.

“Yes sir,” Taylor said.

“Come on over,” Surrette invited.

I didn’t want to come over there and upset you because you have been sick,” Taylor continued.

“You are about to get me upset right here,” Surrette answered.

I don’t mean to, Mr. Butch, I really respect you,” Taylor said.