A lot rides on the success of Highlands County's asphalt plant, expected to go on line in May. We're not just talking of the money involved or the cynical "I told you so" that asphalt contractors are hoping to throw at the county should the project fail. ...more

October 29, 2007

SEBRING –– There is both good and disappointing news regarding the condition of the 1,200 miles of roads maintained by Highlands County. First, the good news. The county will resurface 25 miles of roadways, eight more than last year, in the new fiscal year, which began Oct. 1. The disappointing news: At least 30 miles, and preferably 40 miles, should be resurfaced each year to keep the county road system in top shape, according to Brian Miller, the county's road construction inspector. There is also hope for expanding county road maintenance in future years, if Ken Wheeler's optimism about the county's asphalt plant bears out. In May, Highlands County is scheduled to open the state's first government owned asphalt plant at the county landfill. Wheeler, the county's director of solid waste, has predicted a cost of $69 per ton for paving with asphalt from that plant, $13 per ton less than the county's current contract price of $82 per ton. ...more

October 29, 2007

I find the news that our Highlands County government is going into business very disturbing. Isn't the role of the county government to promote an economic base for our community and to encourage investment by the private sector? ...more

October 18, 2007

Plenty of eyes are watching a new project in Highlands County. Some are impressed and interested in seeing if the project is a success. Others want nothing more than to shut it down, and are possibly going to ask state lawmakers to do something about it. The county's new asphalt plant is drawing a lot of reaction. We hope the project is successful and saves taxpayers as much money as possible. Ken Wheeler, the county's solid waste director, pitched the idea to county commissioners some time ago. He said the county could produce its own asphalt for road repairs much cheaper than commercial companies. That means more roads are repaired for the same amount of money. Counties around Florida took great interest in Highlands County's newest venture. Some will buy the less expensive asphalt, while others might begin a similar project in their own county. ...more

October 12, 2007

SEBRING – Population wise, Highlands County is a proverbial small fish in the big pond of Florida. But it's making a big splash statewide with its decision to build the state's first government-owned and operated asphalt plant. The project, scheduled to begin production in May, has reportedly set off a drive by the state's asphalt paving industry for a state law to stop this idea from spreading to other counties. ...more

October 12, 2007

SEBRING — Highlands County government is going into the asphalt production and paving business. In a 3-2 vote Tuesday, county commissioners decided to build the first government owned and operated asphalt plant in Florida. ...more

September 19, 2007

A proposal to build a $3 million asphalt plant at the Highlands County landfill, using methane gas blow off to fuel their asphalt, is being voted on by the Highlands County Board of Commissioners on Tuesday, Sept. 18. ...more

September 18, 2007

SEBRING — Paving companies did not, as county officials had hoped, lock in lower prices on asphalt for three years to lower the cost of road resurfacing. ...more

September 7, 2007