Clinton County Fiscal Court held a call meeting last Thursday morning with five magistrates present. The meeting was in lieu of the regular meeting–originally scheduled for 5 p.m.–which was changed due to booth set up around the courthouse for last weekend’s Foothills Festival.

Only a limited amount of items were on the agenda for consideration during the approximate 50-minute session, which again ended with the court taking its business behind closed doors for the purpose of discussing “personnel” issues.

The court first approved the monthly and quarterly treasurer’s report, approved fund transfers and voted to pay claims and bills.

County Treasurer Dallas Sidwell then presented tax rates for two taxing districts, the health department and school district.

The health department rates were 3.5 cents per one hundred dollars assessed value on real, personal and motor vehicle, the same as last year.

The school district rates, 1.6 cents higher than last year, had originally been approved by the school board at 40 cents per $100 of assessed value on real and personal, with also a tax proposal on watercraft and the same three percent rate on utilities.

Magistrate Mickey Riddle made a motion to accept the rates as presented for the purpose of having them put on the tax bills, which is being mailed out this week. The vote passed 4-1 with Magistrates Hershell Key, Terry Buster and Ricky Craig also voting yes.

Magistrate Patty Guinn cast the lone no vote, explaining that although she was not against the rates that had been presented, but rather noted she had not voted to accept higher rates for any other taxing districts when they were presented and she would not single one out over the other.

Magistrate Riddle also explained that although he wasn’t in favor of the higher rates by the school district, his motion was for the purpose of having the taxes put on the tax bills so they could be mailed to taxpayers.

EMS Director Lonnie Scott then addressed the court about a USDA grant to help purchase a new ambulance for the ambulance service, in the amount of $50,000. The total cost of the project is $90,700, meaning $40,700 will have to be generated elsewhere.

Scott and the court members discussed options of obtaining the other necessary funds to pay for the new ambulance, including using the 2014 and 2015 year Homeland Security grants, at $10,000 each and selling some other unused trucks. It was estimated that around $15,000 more would be needed above the grant money and what the unused ambulances would bring.

Scott suggested possibly borrowing some of the money and repaying it when funds become available and also noted that AT&T, the telecommunication provider for this area, had agreed to repay counties $28,100 each in overcharges in the past few years and noted that some of that money, if received, may go toward the total cost.

Magistrate Riddle made a motion to use LGEA (Local Government Economic Assistance) money to fund the remaining cost of the ambulance, above the total garnered by the sale of the old trucks and the Homeland Security grants.

The EMS director also explained about a CMRS grant of $5 million to be shared for telecommunication equipment for counties in its service area, noting Clinton County could be eligible for $70,000 in funding. Magistrate Craig moved to proceed with the grant process, which passed by unanimous vote.

Sheriff Rick Riddle then told the court that his department was in need of a couple of new vehicles, noting some of the current patrol cars have high mileage and required a high amount of maintenance.

Magistrate Craig then made a motion to approve going forward with the application process to USDA for an 80/20 matching grant to help fund the vehicles, if approved.

The court then entered into an approximate 20-minute closed session on personnel but took no action prior to adjourning the meeting.