The town of Lester’s 169 registered voters will continue to cast their votes there after a unanimous decision by the Limestone County Commission Monday to keep the polling place open.

Limestone County Probate Judge Charles Woodroof last week presented a proposal to the commission to close the polling place and split voters between precincts at Good Springs and West Limestone. Lester’s polling place is in the town’s storm shelter, part of which is underground, and Woodroof said moisture had been an issue.

Lester resident Richard Durham addressed the commission Monday and said closing the town’s polling place would be an impediment to voters who wanted to cast a ballot. He added the storm shelter is compliant with the Americans with Disabilities Act. He also said the town would be willing to rectify any issues with moisture, including using a dehumidifier.

District 4 Commissioner Ben Harrison, who represents Lester, said he had spoken over the weekend with several residents and was unable to find anyone in favor of closing the polling place. He fears older voters would not travel to other polling places.

“I hate to penalize them,” he said. “They have the highest voter turnout of any precinct in Limestone County.”

The commissioners ultimately voted against closing the precinct.

Elsewhere Monday, commissioners each discussed their respective road problems caused by heavy rains and wide temperature swings. Each commissioner said they had been dealing with a mix of flooding and potholes on certain roads.

Harrison said Patterson Hill Road in District 4 is still closed because of road erosion on the hill. He said crews may put some large boulders at the base to divert water away from the hill.

“We’re looking at different options with disaster aid (funding),” he said, adding efforts would be made to reopen the road as soon as possible.

District 3 Commissioner Jason Black said his crews have patched the same pothole on Shaw Road five times. He explained that because there is a maintenance and refueling outage at Browns Ferry Nuclear Plant, Shaw has seen an increase in traffic from added maintenance workers going in and out of the plant.

“The potholes are never-ending when you have this much rain,” he said.

Commissioners were also again voicing concern about the amount of litter they’re seeing. District 1 Commissioner Stanley Hill said crews have been trying to pick litter out of ditches that collected there after the heavy rains.

“It’s just a habit people have of throwing it out, and someone has to pick it up,” he said. “The taxpayers have to pay for it.”

Black said his crews have recently disposed of six couches and chairs. He added floods did not cause that to happen.

“That’s some worthless individual sitting it out on the side of the road,” he said. “Get rid of it yourself.”

Other business

In other business, the commission:

• Honored Corey Hudson and Jay Hudson for 65 years of the sick call radio program on WKAC. The father-son team has hosted the show together since 2000, but the show’s origins date back to 1953;

• Accepted the resignation of James Pack and appointed Doug Ezzell to the E911 board of commissioners for the remainder of the term that expires Aug. 19;

• Hired Sydnae Townsend as a corrections officer, pending a drug screening; and

• Approved a 35-mph speed limit on Slate Road, from Carey to Sandlin roads, in District 1.

The commission will meet again Wednesday, March 14, at the Washington Street courthouse annex.