Whether stone was compacted properly

Part of the focus in yesterday’s questioning of Plateau project manager Shane Hall was the responsibility for failed test asphalt strips to determine if the base for a 600-foot extension of Oconee Airport runway 25 was suitable for paving. For most of the day, Hall sat under cross-examination and answered questions from Stephanie Burton, attorney for both Oconee County and the now former county airport consultant firm Talbert and Bright. Hall, who worked for earthmover Plateau, defended Sloan Construction’s inability to satisfactorily complete the test paving in November 2010. The following April Sloan was able to produce satisfactory test results. Hall blamed the temporary shutdown of the project, saying it gave Sloan a window of only two to three weeks instead of two to three months. The witness and the defense lawyer debated whether the temperatures in the fall of 2010 were warm enough for test paving. Although Oconee County ended its professional relationship with Talbert and Bright after the project incurred cost overruns and delays, the county and Talbert and Bright settled their difference when the consultant company paid the county $375 thousand. The jury has heard testimony that, if the county is successful in winning damages in its cross-complaint against Plateau, that money will go to Talbert and Bright.