Claims and bills, animal shelter heavily discussed at court meeting

Posted October 26, 2016 at 9:27 am

Clinton County Fiscal Court held its regular monthly meeting last Thursday, October 20 with all members present. The agenda appeared to be lighter than normal, but the expected brief meeting most expected turned into a just over an hour-long session with more split votes and somewhat heated exchanges, again on issues related to paying claims and bills.

The court did approve, on unanimous votes, the monthly treasurer’s report and fund transfers.

On the claims and bills, magistrates had some questions about some items, including the amount of fuel used by the road department, which in turn led to questions about road department employees driving county vehicles home at night.

Then again, some magistrates raised opposition to the county buying jail inmates lunches while they are working for the county cleaning up roadways during work release, as they feel they should be fed at the jail instead. Magistrates Mickey Riddle, Patty Guinn and Ricky Craig stated that some of their constituents had voiced complaints about this particular issue.

This led to a somewhat heated exchange of words at times between some court members and Clinton County Judge/Executive Richard Armstrong. The judge again noted the hard work inmates did for the county while on work release, and Clinton County Solid Waste Coordinator Rick Stearns again said the funding through the county’s litter abatement program was still saving the county money on the cost of providing the meals.

Magistrate Terry Buster also made a suggestion to possibly take the jail inmates who work to a closer location, such as country stores or whatever, rather that into town for their meals.

In response to the magistrates who indicated they had opposition from constituents, Armstrong said they needed to “bring those who oppose into the court meetings,” adding he had had no negative feedback about the county buying the work release inmates’ meals.

At one point during an exchange of words over the issue, magistrate Craig indicated there was no need to bring (constituents) in, saying that magistrates were supposed to be their voice (at court meetings). He also said the inmates should be brought back to the county and fed there, from the jail budget.

Eventually, a motion was made by magistrate Riddle not to pay for the inmates’ lunches, which failed 4-3. Magistrates Craig and Guinn voted in favor of the motion while Magistrates Buster, Hershell Key, and Johnny Russell voted against and judge Armstrong broke the tie with a no vote.

Magistrate Craig made a motion to allow only the county road foreman to drive county vehicles home at night. That motion also failed by the exact same vote.

Some magistrates indicated past administrations had not allowed employees to drive county vehicles home at night. Craig said six road department employees were allowed to drive county vehicles back and forth from work to home and felt the county could save money on gas by not allowing workers to take the vehicles home.

Judge Armstrong, in defending allowing them to do so, said the county had checked and was covered by insurance when the employees were driving vehicles home and, in some cases, the employees were closer to where they may be needed in case an emergency occurred after work hours. He added he was proud of the hard work the county road crew does.

On some other individual claims and bills, some magistrates sustained from voting due to possible conflicts of interest on the bills being paid. All remaining claims and bills not aforementioned were approved by unanimous vote.

Later in the meeting, Tri-County Shelter Coordinator Janet Brummett read a prepared progress report to the court, which also led to more discussions about the shelter issues, primarily over-crowding of animals at the facility.

Brummett’s overall report was extremely positive pertaining to many improvements that have been made at the shelter over the past few weeks and months. She also requested the county do some work at shelter, if possible, such as painting and other items.

The primary concern at the shelter currently is what Brummett called “over-crowding” of animals brought on by the influx of animals brought to the shelter twice weekly by Wayne County. That is a problem, however, that cannot to be resolved anytime soon.

Although the fiscal court voted last month to sever ties with Wayne County at the shelter and forwarded Wayne County with a 60 day notice of being withdrawn, meetings and discussions since that time have led to the opinion there is no way Wayne County can cease bringing its animals in that time frame and further, it may be next May until the issue is resolved. That is the date and time that the three-county contract comes up for renewal.

Judge Armstrong said that after talking with Wayne County Judge/ Executive Mike Anderson, it would be impossible to have their animals removed in 60 days. Further, Wayne County–which owns one-third of the facility–has asked for an appraisal on the facility and that further discussions take place after that appraisal is received.

Armstrong noted that the building (Clinton County apparently owns the property) was estimated at about $75,000, although that is not an official appraisal figure.

The judge said the court may have to have a call meeting after the appraisal, which is expected to be done by late this month, is done to further discuss the matter. It was also noted as the worst case scenario, it may take until next May when the contract is actually up, for the matter to be resolved.

In the meantime, however, the amount of animals being housed at the facility at any one time is ongoing.

Brummett said Wayne County at one point last week had brought in 19 dogs and 20 cats on Monday and the shelter could only accept part of them, and that Wayne County usually brings strays to the shelter about twice a week. She added more shelter space is needed and questioned if Wayne County would build more shelter space. Judge Armstrong said though, they couldn’t tell Wayne County what to do in relation to the shelter.

The shelter issue was also a talking point at the most recent regular meeting of the Wayne County Fiscal Court, in which judge Anderson told that county’s magistrates in essence that Wayne County would continue to utilize the Tri-County Animal Shelter until at least next May.

(More information from Wayne County’s fiscal court meeting pertaining to the shelter can be found in this week’s Regional News page under Wayne County Outlook.)

In other business at last week’s meeting, the court:

* Accepted the resignation of Randy Speck on the Industrial Development Authority Board.

Speck noted in his resignation letter he had taken a five-day per week job at a radio station in Burkesville and could not attend meetings, and thanked the county for allowing him the opportunity to serve on the IDA board to try and help the community.

* Voted unanimously to begin making quarterly allotments, as the City of Albany is currently doing, at $2,500 each three months to the Recreation Park Board.

* Discussed mowing on county roadways that is currently ongoing.

* Discussed requests to the Kentucky Department of Transportation to have caution lights installed at each intersection along the US 127-Albany Bypass, which has been areas of several automobile accidents and fatalities since the by-pass opened a few years ago.

* Discussed a recommendation by magistrate Buster to use road fund money, either from the discretionary funds or county road fund, to install a guardrail for safety purposes in an area on Hwy. 558 near the Piney Woods Community.

The next regular meeting of Clinton Fiscal Court is scheduled for November 17 and is open to the general public.