The Lincoln County Board of Supervisors Monday received along-awaited draft proposal on specifications to be met before aprivate road is accepted as a public road.

During the meeting, the board also considered how to address afunding shortage in a renovation project for flooring at theLincoln County-Brookhaven Government Complex.

Supervisors have long debated a private road policy that wouldboth serve the public and protect its interests by not acceptingprivate roads that would require a great deal of cost and labor tobring up to county standards.

Monday, the board received a “very rough” first draft ofspecifications from Engineering Associates. The proposal was basedon information gathered during previous meetings with the board,consultation with individual board members and the board attorney,said engineer Randy Emfinger.

The specifications outline such requirements as road width andstrength that private roads must meet before being considered foradoption by the county as a public road.

“We can help you, but only after you help yourself first,”District Three Supervisor Nolan Earl Williamson said about many ofthe applications received by the board.

Each board member and the attorney will review the draft andmake revisions for further discussion at future meetings, Emfingersaid.

In an unrelated matter, Chancery Clerk Tillmon Bishop said bidsfor a flooring renovation at the government complex exceed theavailable funding for the project.

Of the original $471,000 grant for government complexrenovations, only $33,471 remains after roofing and other necessaryrepairs, he said.

The lowest bid for the flooring project came in at $53,000,leaving a shortage of more than $19,500, Bishop said.

However, the county has several options. The most obvious, hesaid, is to pay the difference out of the county’s general fund orto scale back flooring to priority areas until it falls under theamount of available funding.

Bishop said he consulted with Mayor Bob Massengill on analternative option and discussed splitting the $19,500 difference.In those discussions, the mayor questioned how much of theremaining flooring would be done in city areas, Bishop said.

“Hopefully, we can get that measured before the (city) boardmeets so they can decide on a course of action,” Bishop said.

The county tabled the matter until the city could make itsdecision. The mayor and board of aldermen meet tonight.