They didn’t get to meet President Donald Trump, but Limestone County commissioners on Monday spoke highly of their trip to Washington, D.C., last week, and they believe it may pay dividends in the future.

District 4 Commissioner Ben Harrison said the commissioners were given a list of people they could contact directly at the federal level if they needed help with projects. He added that made the trip worth it for him if it alleviates federal red tape by simply knowing who to call.

During a White House briefing Thursday, the commissioners — who were joined by commissioners from other counties in Alabama and Louisiana — heard from White House counsel Kellyanne Conway and U.S. Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Conway discussed the ongoing opioid epidemic, while Sessions talked about the need to lower the crime rate.

Harrison and District 3 Commissioner Jason Black both had the chance to talk to Secretary of the Interior Ryan Zinke. Black said he talked with Zinke about the endangered snails that held up the Old Highway 20 bridge project and the endangered spring pygmy sunfish that led to a brief stoppage on the Toyota-Mazda project.

“(Zinke) said there’s a bridge in another state that has not been able to open for 17 years because of some type of endangered wildlife,” Black said. “I’m glad mine is only three years instead of 17 years.”

Harrison said he enjoyed hearing Zinke’s ideas on streamlining federal departments, particularly where infrastructure projects are concerned.

“I’m impressed that President Trump has assembled such an amazing team,” he said.

Courthouse improvements

Elsewhere Monday, the commission approved allocating $20,000 to make improvements to the lawn of the Limestone County Courthouse. Those funds, combined with $7,000 in community donations, will be used to rearrange monuments on the lawn and light a statue of Judge James E. Horton Jr. A new pathway will also be installed to allow easier access to the monuments.

District 2 Commissioner Steve Turner said he had received some calls of concern about the project and wanted to convey the commission would not be removing any existing Confederate monuments.

“We’re not taking any down, just making it easier for you to get through to see them,” he said.

Other business

In other business, the commission:

• Changed the date of the Monday, Aug. 20, commission meeting to Friday, Aug. 17;

• Approved an agreement with Morell Engineering for construction, engineering and inspection services on a project to widen, resurface, stripe and add guardrails to Harvest Road from Alabama 251 to Love Branch Road at a cost of $60,941.35;

• Approved a lease agreement for the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office for a 2018 Chevrolet Silverado pickup for an annual rent of $1;

• Approved an agreement with the Mental Health Center of North Central Alabama to provide an on-site juvenile court liaison for 40 hours per week from Oct. 1, 2018, through Sept. 30, 2019, at a cost of $58,905;

• Reappointed Michelle Williamson to the Alabama Mountain Lakes Tourist Association’s board of directors. The term expires Sept. 30, 2020;

• Accepted a bid from Galls Inc. for deputy uniforms for the Limestone County Sheriff’s Office at a price of $32.50 for men’s trousers, $45.10 for men’s long-sleeve shirts and $41 for men’s short-sleeve shirts;

• Accepted a bid from R.J. Young for the printing of fund checks for the County Commission at a cost of $733.20;

• Approved two handcrafted benches made by Life Scout Aidan Harm from Troop 236 to be placed at the Limestone County Archives and the other at the Limestone County Farmers Market in celebration of Athens’ bicentennial;

• Agreed to expand the existing cemetery at Pleasant Grove Church at 15439 Hastings Road at the recommendation of the Limestone County Health Department;

• Approved sale of 1997 Dodge Intrepid and 2007 Chevrolet Malibu for the Limestone County Council on Aging and a 1996 Goosehead flatbed for District 4 on GovDeals; and

• Approved chip-sealing one-eighth of a mile of Maples Circle, 1.7 miles of Baker Road, three-tenths of a mile of Simpson Road and five-tenths of a mile of Norris Lane at a cost of $51,200.