Clinton County Fiscal Court held what will apparently be (barring another needed special session) its final meeting of 2014 last Friday evening with all court members present. The 35-minute session was conducted at the Community Center.

The meeting was held just prior to the annual county employee Christmas dinner and was somewhat bittersweet, as people said good-bye to three current elected officials that will be leaving office at the end of the year, and also there was a presentation marking the service of a late, well-known and well-respected deputy sheriff of Clinton County.

The meeting marked the final meeting for two-term Clinton County Judge-Executive Lyle Huff, long-time First District Magistrate Phillip Parrigin, and two-term Clinton County Sheriff Ricky Riddle.

The judge’s office staff and others presented gifts to the outgoing officials, as well as all court members following the meeting as well.

Also, following the business portion of the meeting, Judge Huff, the fiscal court and other county officials present presented several family members of the late Arnold “Shorty” Daniel with a plaque in remembrance of the almost three decades of law enforcement service the late deputy had served in Clinton County before his recent passing earlier this year.

Daniel, who served as a deputy sheriff for almost 30 total years, also served under several different sheriffs over the years, Republican and Democrat alike, and was well-known and well-thought of throughout the entire community.

The business portion of the meeting mostly involved issues surrounding the sheriff-elect’s bond, bonding for constables and other constable related issues and a separate article on those issues can be found this week beginning on page 1.

Other routine agenda items taken up by the court included:

* Approved the treasurer’s report, voted to pay claims and bills and approved expenditure transfers.

* Director of Emergency Services Lonnie Scott addressed the court about the issue of Advanced EMT (Emergency Medical Technician) training, which had been discussed at a previous meeting.

The AEMT program, which is apparently being used in several areas to help ambulance services financially, gives advanced training to regular EMTs and once the training is complete, ambulance services can bill for runs with AEMts on board at the same rate as during an ALS (Advanced Life Support) run rate as with a Paramedic on board. However, advanced EMTs have a lower rate of pay than a Paramedic and the more that can be utilized, helps save local ambulance services money in payroll expenses.

Scott told the court that the next advanced EMT training classes start January 12 in Russell Springs and they have reserved three spots for local EMTs to receive the training. He suggested that EMTs that complete the training be put under a three-year contract to work at the local ambulance service. The training takes about six months, two days per week.

Fourth District Magistrate Ricky Craig made a motion to fund the advanced EMT training for three persons, with the stipulation they be put under a three-year contract with the local ambulance service on completion. The motion passed by unanimous vote.

* County Judge/Executive Lyle Huff then presented the court with the County Clerk’s budget for 2015 proposed budget, which required no official action.

The next regular meeting of Clinton Fiscal Court is scheduled for Thursday, January 15 at 5 p.m. and is open to the general public.