Boise County defends actions on Atlanta road issue

Arrowrock Road serves as the main route leading to and from the Atlanta community.

One month after a tentative deal was reached regarding road maintenance services leading to the Atlanta community, Boise County commissioners responded to criticisms regarding their handling of the situation.

During a special meeting held Dec. 18 at the state capital, commissioners from both counties agreed to provide funding to keep Arrowrock Road open through the winter.

The issue focuses on the 28-mile stretch of the gravel road that runs through Boise County. Once it reaches the western border of Elmore County, the remaining 10 miles of road leading into Atlanta becomes the responsibility of the Atlanta Highway District.

Issues with Arrowrock Road took center stage in November. Elmore County commissioners indicated that officials in Boise County would no longer maintain the road within its borders, citing budget cuts. That could have potentially isolated the mountain community of Atlanta during some portions of the winter.

Historically, Boise County had used its maintenance money for the road as a payment to the Atlanta Highway Distict to keep the Boise County section of the road clear.

That funding from Boise County represents a significant amount of the Atlanta Highway District's budget, said Alan Lake, chairman of the Atlanta Highway Commission. Without that money, the highway district would've essentially been out of business, Lake said.

Boise County commissioners contend that the issue pertains to a contract deal presented to the Atlanta Highway District on Oct. 15. The $40,000 deal was adjusted downward from the previous year to reflect the actual road mileage for the Arrowrock Road section in Boise County, the commissioners said in a press statement.

The deal also eliminated per diem, lodging and meals, noting the contract was for maintenance services only.

The highway district rejected the contract deal in writing on Oct. 23. That prompted the Boise County commissioners to discuss new options, including finding another contractor, according to the press statement.

"(The) Boise County road department has a history of doing maintenance beyond the (Atlanta Highway District) agreement and requested that they take on the maintenance as a cost effective solution," the Boise County commissioners said. "It was also decided not to provide any winter maintenance to the Arrowrock Road similar to other back country roads within Boise County's jurisdiction."

Commissioners in Boise County indicated that the reduction in winter maintenance on Arrowrock Road would only affect one property owner in their county. In comparison, the Atlanta community includes roughly 35 residents during the winter months.Arrowrock Road is the only viable road into the area in the winter.

The issue was first reported by the Mountain Home News in December. Repeated calls made by the newspaper staff to members of the Boise County board of commissioners were not returned before the initial story went to press.

Prior to the Dec. 18 deal, representatives from the Atlanta Highway District met with the Boise County commissioners seeking to reopen negotiations for a maintenance agreement. During that meeting, highway district officials said that Elmore County residents would be negatively impacted if Boise County didn't fund winter maintenance for Arrowrock Road.

"The Boise County Board of Commissioners acknowledged this impact and concluded that any decision to preserve winter road access for the residents of Elmore County should involve their own county commissioners," the press statement indicated.

An initial meeting between commissioners from both counties was held Nov. 22.

"Clear statements at the beginning of the meeting were made that the Boise County representatives were not in a position to make a final decision outside their county seat," the press statement read.

At that meeting, Boise County Commissioner Jamie Anderson proposed a shared cost agreement capped at $20,000 for the winter maintenance of Arrowrock Road during the remainder of the winter season.

"Had Boise County wanted to be uncooperative with (the Atlanta Highway District) and Elmore County, it would have simply maintained its prior decision not to provide any winter maintenance on the Arrowrock Road -- a position supported by many Boise County taxpayers," the commissioners said.

"Boise County's decision to initiate and participate in a short-term solution that evenly shares the maintenance cost for a service that disproportionately benefits the use by Elmore County residents should be acknowledged," the press statement stated.

"In the face of significant financial limitations, Boise County has demonstrated its willingness to be a good neighbor in this situation by sharing the 2013/2014 winter maintenance reimbursement with Elmore County."

In a previous interview with the Mountain Home News, Elmore County Commissioner Bud Corbus contended that while Arrowrock Road doesn't provide direct service to Boise County residents, the county was legally obligated to maintain it.

"They have been paid by the state... they received the dollars to take care of that road," he said.

Corbus added that it wasn't Elmore County's job to use its own tax dollars to maintain a road in another county.

"But we have a responsibility to see that the residents of Atlanta are taken care of," he said. In short, all it would take is one snow storm, and everything going into and out of Atlanta would come to a screeching halt.

James Creek Road is the secondary road that services the Atlanta area, but it's only open from July to late September depending on the severity of the winter weather, Lake said. Even under ideal conditions when the road is clear, it's very steep and dangerous to drive. Once the snow hits the mountains, it's impassable.

A long-term solution is in the works, said state Sen. Bert Brackett, who serves Elmore County.

The proposal involves an amendment to state law that, in essence, "detaches" that road and makes it no longer the responsibility of Boise County.

In return, state and federal money used to maintain that section of road would go to the Atlanta Highway District under the proposed legislation.