Do dirt roads become paved roads if they’re not home to a county commissioner?

Not with county money, apparently.

In a discussion of whether or not the county should continue an over-budget project to pave Braswell Road, home to Commissioner Harold Elmore, Chairman Bill Godwin raised the question of whether any dirt roads had been paved.

See related story: Halting Braswell, again?

County engineer Lynn Ralls, who served as assistant county engineer before being promoted this year, said a number of roads were paved when residents bought the materials, agreed to give the right-of-way, and the county provided the labor.

Godwin pointed to Sasser Road, home to former Chairman Lynn Sasser; Cotton House Road, on which he said former Commissioner Bragg Carter owned property, and Braswell Road.

Elmore, who is the longest-serving member of the current commission, acknowledged the previous work.

He said when he first took office 12 years ago, the county received about $500,000 per year for paving projects.

“Every year, we swapped that around to a different commissioner in Covington County. That way, everybody paved a road in the district during a four-year term.”

Those funds have been cut in half, he said.