Although the date and time was unchanged, the Clinton County Fiscal Court conducted a special”meeting last Thursday evening, September 18 due to the location of the 50-minute session being changed from the courthouse to the Clinton County Emergency Services building. All members were present for the meeting, which saw a variety of issues covered.

The court first approved the monthly treasurer’s report, fund transfers, including from the Occupational Tax to the ambulance service, receipts and expenditures and second reading of a budget amendment adding $188,000 in carryover funds from last year to the current fiscal year budget.

Gail Fryman with the local health department then presented the tax rates that had been approved by the Lake Cumberland District Board of Health for the 2015 year, those being at 3.5 cents per $100 assessed value on real and personal property. Fryman said the rates have been the same for the past eight years. A motion to approve the rate passed by unanimous vote.

The court also voted to accept the Soil Conservation District’s proposed rate on real and personal property at 0.016.

In discussion on a road department issue, Judge/Executive Lyle Huff noted the state has approved some of the magistrates’ recommended roads for repair work, noting there was about $200,000 in funds available from the state on the projects. A motion to give the judge pre-approval to go forward with accepting the funds and having the work done passed by unanimous vote.

Judge Huff then told the court that new Lake Cumberland Community Action Agency Coordinator Tammy Whittenburg had requested office space that was formerly used by the Workforce Development Cabinet, to provide more privacy for LCCAA clients. Magistrate Hershell Key made a motion to allow the LCCAA to use the office for a one-year free period, renewable October 1 of each year with court approval. The motion passed unanimously.

The court also voted to draw up an ordinance setting the electrical inspector’s fee schedule, which County Attorney Michael Rains said needed to be done by ordinance. The court had recently renewed Jackie Spears as the county’s inspector, and voted, on a motion by Magistrate Mickey Riddle, to draw up an ordinance setting the fees, with first reading to be held in October.

911 Mapping and Addressing Coordinator Andy Davis then addressed the court about the additional mapping and naming of roads in the county due to the completion of the 127 Bypass. (A separate article on the mapping and addressing issue can be found beginning on page 1.)

Director of Emergency Services Lonnie Scott then discussed several issues with the court, first telling them that a $33,000 Homeland Security grant for run sheet software needed to be closed out by the end of October. Other grant applications, he noted, should be closed by the end of the calendar year.

He also said an eight-county area, including Clinton, has applied for a $1.4 million grant to upgrade computer systems for all the emergency service facilities in those counties, but added the maintenance cost would be around $6,000 per year on the equipment.

Scott also requested that while dirt was being moved to accommodate the new fire station, that the bank near the EMS and Air Evac facility be shaved down to allow for more parking space. This led to a motion being made, and passing unanimously, to have the owner of the fuel tank at the site remove the tank from the property.

The EMS director further noted the need for new carpet, or tile, throughout the facility, especially the dispatch and conference rooms. The court directed Judge Huff to obtain some estimates for such tile or carpet.

Some magistrates, including Ricky Craig and Patty Guinn, then questioned Scott in reference to grant applications, about tornado warning sirens and safe rooms.

Scott noted there was a pending grant for additional warning sirens through Hazard and Mitigation, but noted funds from that agency usually aren’t awarded until after a natural disaster in the state has been declared. He also noted the county could again apply for safe rooms, or safe houses, that houses people during severe weather or other natural disasters.

Magistrate Craig said that recently Russell County had been funded for several of the safe rooms. Scott, who said he was disappointed about not being approved, noted that Clinton, Cumberland and Russell counties all had applied for funding at the same time, but only Russell County received money and Clinton and Cumberland were left out.

Scott also noted that EMS was still waiting on a chassis to be rebuilt to fit into one of the ambulances in its fleet but due to the model of the vehicle and other issues it may take awhile. This discussion led judge Huff to question both Scott and Sheriff Rick Riddle about the mileage on their vehicles. Both indicated that almost all of them had high mileage, and Riddle indicated one patrol car was in need of some repairs. No officials action were taken but it appears the county may have to consider emergency vehicle purchases in the future.

Chief Scott also said the Code Red automatic phone alert system was to be tested early this week and a separate article on that system will be published next week.

Finally, Judge Huff questioned magistrates about what should be done with the dirt piled up where construction of the new Albany Fire Department building is taking place.

Judge Huff asked the squires as to what they wanted to do with it, including possibly selling it, but by a general consensus, they decided to have it leveled and sew the area in grass and keep it maintained.

The next meeting of Clinton Fiscal Court, which may be held at the county maintenance building, is scheduled for October 16.