An effort to get an access road to an historic Lincoln Countycemetery met with support Monday, but supervisors want to take acloser look at the situation before making a final decision.

With the support of several people in the audience, SteveMelancon asked supervisors to create and maintain a road to the OldSaron cemetery, where some “pioneers and patriots” from as far backas the early to mid 1800s are buried. The cemetery is located abouthalf a mile west of town near the police department’s firingrange.

“I’d love to be able to help on the road,” said District 5Supervisor Gary Walker following Melancon’s presentation.

However, unwanted public access to the police firing range and a911 communications tower guy wire were some concerns ofsupervisors. Board President W.D. “Doug” Moak suggested supervisorsget together to look at the road and have a decision before Sept.1.

Melancon said there is already a public road running to thefiring range and the communications tower. He and officialsdiscussed a fence to keep people away from the firing range, somekind of structure to protect the guy wire from large vehicletraffic and a turnaround at the cemetery.

“We’re talking about a minimal amount of work to build that roadup,” Melancon said.

Melancon said volunteer labor would maintain the cemetery ifthere is a road to it.

“Right now, we can’t do a thing,” Melancon said.

Melancon said he has had two descendants, one from Oregon andone from California, contact him about how to get to the cemetery.Coroner Morris Henderson also said he has had contact withdescendants of people buried in the cemetery.

“I’ve had several families want to know where that cemetery is,”Henderson told the board.

In other business Monday, supervisors heard severalbudget-related requests from county agencies.

Carolyn Patterson, chairwoman of the Lincoln County PublicLibrary’s board of directors, requested $167,000 from the county tosupport library functions for fiscal year 2001. That totalrepresents an increase of $12,000 over present funding levels.

Patterson touted the library’s technology and computer accessand book circulation over the last year. She said the LincolnCounty library circulated 80,000 books last year while there were143,000 circulated system wide, including Lawrence and Franklincounties.

Patterson also thanked the board for plans to do a $500,000 bondissue to match a state $500,000 grant for library improvements.

“This is certainly convincing evidence you support the libraryand want the best for the county,” Patterson said.

Bob Allen, board attorney, said the board is looking at a10-year bond issue period so that repayment costs are as low aspossible. He expected the board would be moving forward on the bondissue in the next three weeks or so.

On the day some inmates were moved in the county’s new jailfacility, Sheriff Lynn Boyte discussed revamping job descriptionsfor jailers to include an administrator, an assistant administratorand shift supervisors.

Boyte also raised the need for additional funds for jailercertification training and raises so the county’s pay scale is morecompetitive with those of some other counties. Specific totals werenot discussed.

Both the library’s and Boyte’s requests were taken underadvisement for review at budget time later. The county’s new fiscalyear begins Oct. 1.