Spalding County has re-covered the four-way stop sign at the intersection of South Sixth Street and County Line Road until an agreement is made with neighboring counties.

According to a press release from Spalding County, the county’s ordinary policy is to erect stop signs after they are tentatively approved but to keep them covered until final approval is made. This way, people have time to get used to the presence of the signs before they need to obey them.

In the case of the intersection of County Line Road and South Sixth Street, the signs will be covered until an intergovernmental agreement can be executed with Pike and Lamar counties, which border Spalding County in the area.

Spalding County Board of Commissioners member Dave Phillips represents the district containing the intersection.

“I never asked for that,” he said about the four-way stop sign. “I have no idea where that came from.”

He said he can recognize the usefulness of such a stop but said Spalding County Commissioner Bob Gilreath was right about the necessity of a study before installing a four-way stop. Phillips said a tri-county agreement and a study will be required for the intersection.

He said the commissioners were not given adequate information on the matter, something he said happens because commissioners are not supposed to be involved in the day-to-day governance of the county.

Pike County Manager Steve Marro could not be reached for comment. Pike County Board of Commissioners member Don Collins, who represents the northern part of Pike County, said he has not heard of anything related to the four-way stop.

“It has not been brought before our commission at all,” he said.

Collins said he spoke with Pike County Public Works Director Todd Goolsby, who had discussed the matter with Spalding County Public Works Director Jake Garner. Goolsby said the matter is under Spalding County’s jurisdiction.

“From what I understand, it has nothing to do with us in Pike County,” Collins said.

Wayne Patterson, county administrator for Lamar County, knew little about the matter.

“We’ve not received anything to my knowledge requesting an intergovernmental agreement,” he said.

He said the county would be willing to look at anything that is presented.