County Surveyor Don King approached Brown County Commissioners on Monday for consideration to replace damaged plats and plat record jackets in the court house. The plats that are stored in the county clerk’s office, according to King, are being destroyed by the very items that are designed to protect them.
One of the five filing cabinets that house these plat records, file cabinet 4 is where the damage has been found and contains 400 plats.
Originally, the county plat records were kept flat in folders located in filing cabinets in the clerk’s office. According to King, around 1974, the county began keeping these plat files in protective sleeves that could be copied without taking the records out of the plastic, in order to prevent damage to these records.
Over the years, it has been noted by county employees and those researching these plat records, that the plastic sleeves are coated with an oily substance that has actually been absorbing some of the ink that the plats are drawn with. According to King, older plats were drawn with “India ink” which is permanent. With advancement in technology, newer plats are computer aided drawings and printed out by computers. Some surveyors did not select permanent ink for their printers and these are the plats that have been damaged, according to King.
Of the other cabinets, three are in flat files without sleeves, and cabinet 5 has sleeved records which are in the “good sleeves” which have not damaged the plats. King will have to sort through the plats and determine which ones have been damaged and need replacing.
King said that the new sleeves will be made of material that will not damage the plat records, if approved.
County Commissioners requested that the court not act on this matter until King can provide a cost of the new sleeves and plat replacement. Commissioners are going to determine where in the county budget the money for the proposed project can come from or if the court needs to look into a restoration type grant for this work to be completed. Pictured above, King shows Commissioners Steve Adams and Joel Kelton damage to a plat.
In other matters on the agenda:
* Commissioners approved three new and three returning members for the Brown County Child Welfare Board.
Kitty Cavanaugh, chair of the Brown County Child Welfare Board, explained to the court that two members, Paul Coghlan and Carolyn Snell will be vacating unexpired terms. Coghlan will be replaced by Sharon Watts who will finish out the term expiring September 30 of this year and will remain for another term until September 30, 2014. Snell will be replaced by Candace Wilson who will fill her unexpired term until September 30, 2012. Brittany Edwards will replace Alisha Long upon the expiration of Long’s term on September 30th.
Board members Rhonda Roark, Kay Wilson and Amber Kissner have agreed to remain on the board for another term, which will last until September 30, 2014.
Current board members include Terry Blagg, Sherry Clark, Susan Gilger, Amber Kissner, Cheryl Nelson, Benita Pipes, and Cotton Wood.
Board of directors include: Kitty Cavanaugh-Chair, Jessie Austin-Vice Chair, Rhonda Roark-Secretary, Judy Spivey-Treasurer, and Kay Wilson-Historian.
“I am pleased to say that these three new members will comprise a full board,” stated Cavanaugh.
*Commissioner Richard Gist received approval to purchase a truck for precinct 3 which will have a total price of $21,800 which includes the truck, flat bed and related equipment.
*Installation of telephone lines for Coleman County Telephone Coop along County Roads 221 and 222, located in Precinct 1, was approved by commissioners. This installation includes two road bores and will run down the county right of way along these county roads.
