Greene County Road Superintendent Kevin Swatsell defends how his department approached the redo of Birds Bridge and says he would do it the same way again.
Addressing the Greene County Republican Party during their monthly meeting, Swatsell discussed his actions related to recent criticism of his use of funds to do the work.
“When I start making decisions about Bird’s Bridge this county was in total chaos. We just simply didn’t know where we were headed next. So I started reaching out to my state aid contacts and asked for help. Back in December, while the county was still digging out from all the rubble that was on the streets long before the debris haulers showed up, we start trying to figure out how to repair Birds Bridge. So when I reached out to my state aid folks, I realized that I could pool highway department money and put together enough funds to repair Birds Bridge. It’s a 98%, 2% match. My department, with the help of our state aid folks, scraped up enough money, privy to the highway department only, no other county entity at all. It was highway department money, and I knew if we didn’t start on Birds Bridge, it could be months before it got repaired. The county is out no money, the highway department is. I made the decision and I would do it again. I feel like it was the right decision.
Had I waited, Bird’s Bridge might not even been on the burner at all. I had no choice but to move forward, and I have yet to receive a complaint from the public because I pursued fixing that bridge.
Now, keep in mind, when this all started, there was no expectation of funding from either the county or from FEMA. That just was not in the picture. I had to step up, earn my keep and and do my job, and that’s what I’ve done. And like I said, I’d do it again, because it was the right move. Hopefully, if nothing happens catastrophic in the month of June, Bird’s Bridge will be opening back up. It would not be had we not done what we did.
I hope I haven’t disappointed anybody, I never meant to, but there is no malice in this project whatsoever.
We’ve tried to be good stewards of our money. You know, some folks may think that we could use that state aid money somewhere else, I want you all to understand it is a small percentage of the roads that are torn up due to the debris hauls that qualified for state aid money.
So, please be mindful of the fact that that we’re doing everything we can to make sure that things are repaired accordingly, and your money spent wisely.”
As it pertains to the FEMA money believed lost due to the highway department actions, Swatsell said last night a text earlier in the evening from his FEMA rep leads him to remain very hopeful the funds will be reinstated to Greene County for use on flood recovery.
“My state aid folks in Knoxville and Nashville are communicating with them explaining them what this money is because the first thing they don’t want you to do is double deal.”
