The county's decision to begin eminent domain proceedings to acquire land for a replacement quarry bridge brought three members of the Calhoun family to the supervisors' office this morning, to make their case to the supervisors.

Marilyn Calhoun, who owns the property surrounding the current quarry bridge on 245th Street, was joined by her sons Dale and Dave, and insisted that she supported the goal of replacing the bridge. "We never, ever said no to a new bridge," said Marilyn Calhoun. "Every one of us agreed, we need a new bridge."

But she and her sons did indicate that they would not accept an agreement unless certain conditions were met to their satisfaction.

Three in particular that they discussed were the placement of a cattle crossing under the bridge, the new path of the road and its distance from a building used by Dave Calhoun, and the price the county offered for the land.

The cattle crossing appeared to be the most contentious. Belzer had offered to add a four-foot wide raised crossing, which Dale Calhoun dismissed as "absolutely worthless."

Marilyn Calhoun said she would prefer a wider crossing closer to the ground. "Any of you that know about cattle, that's not a very wide crossing, and it's way up in the air," she said of Belzer's proposal. "So that's what I said no to."

Based on that response, Belzer said he has withdrawn the offer.

There is currently no crossing under the bridge; one did exist historically, but was washed away by the river and never replaced. Belzer said a new crossing would need to be elevated in order to prevent its being washed away as well, and the amount of foundation material that would be required dictated the four-foot maximum width.

For more, see our Feb. 3 print edition.