Clinton County Fiscal Court held a special call meeting Monday evening of this week, November 21, with all court members present and dealt primarily with EMS and animal shelter issues during its 40 minute session.

The court approved the monthly treasurer’s report and fund transfers and the majority of claims and bills by unanimous vote.

On a separate claims and bills item, jail inmates being supplied meals by the county while on work release, a separate motion to pay that bill was made with three magistrates, Hershell Key, Johnny Russell and Terry Buster voting in favor to pay, with magistrates Mickey Riddle, Ricky Craig and Patty Guinn voting no and judge/executive Richard Armstrong voting yes to break the tie.

On a question about a claim pertaining to the tourism commission budget, judge Armstrong told magistrates the commission had garnered about $24,000 and the county was looking to bring some type of musical entertainment into the county next summer with use of tourism funds with more to be announced later.

The animal shelter was the next topic discussed by the county, with a couple of votes being taken, including a proposal to charge a $25 adoption fee, which would include the cost of a “four-in-one” vaccination of the animals adopted out. Rescuers of animals from the shelter would pay $10 per pups and $15 per dogs, with no surrender fees to be charged. A motion by magistrate Key to impose the adoption fees passed by unanimous vote.

Judge Armstrong also informed the court that two appraisals on the shelter had been done, with one coming out at $113,000 and the other at $70,000. The appraisals were originally sought by Wayne County after the local fiscal court had voted to terminate the contract with that county due to so many animals being brought from there to the shelter located here in Clinton County.

The Tri-County Animal Shelter is co-owned by Clinton, Wayne and Cumberland counties.

Earlier this fall, Wayne County informed Clinton County it could not find available shelter space for the animals brought from there in the 60 day time frame and opted to keep bringing animals to the shelter here until the contract between the counties expire next May.

Judge Armstrong told the court that Wayne County Judge/Executive Mike Anderson had agreed to accept $31,000 from Clinton County when the contract expires and Wayne County would vacate the premises, also giving that county time to build its own shelter.

Animal Shelter Coordinator Janet Brummett requested that judge Armstrong ask Wayne County if it could move the date up to around the first of the year to relieve overcrowding of animals at the shelter. However, Armstrong noted that judge Anderson had informed him that Wayne County had reduced the number of animals they are now bringing to the shelter and for the sake of getting along with our neighboring county, accept the $31,000 offer and extend the time to May when the contract period ends. Magistrate Riddle made a motion to that effect, which passed by unanimous vote.

Judge Armstong then informed the court that Coroner Steve Talbott had asked the county to purchase a new coroner’s van, noting mechanical problems with the one now in use.

The court, on a motion by Key, voted unanimously to allow the judge/executive to purchase a new van at a state surplus auction at an appropriate time at an amount under $20,000. The motion passed 6-0.

Director of Emergency Services Lonnie Scott then addressed the court about some different issues, including drug testing of county employees.

Scott noted the current company had moved out of Albany and was now operating in Monticello and would only be doing random testing here in Albany on specific days, which would now require employees to be given 24-hour notice prior to a drug test being performed.

Scott noted this would be a burden on some employees, especially at the EMS where the tests are given, because they work in different counties and may be scheduled to be out-of-town on days when the drug tests are performed.

Judge Armstrong suggested Scott check with the local hospital or physicians to see if that facility or any doctor’s office would be able to perform the tests locally prior to January 1, when the current contract expires.

Scott agreed to research alternatives and report back to the court at the next monthly meeting on this particular issue.

The EMS director then gave court members copies of run rates from area counties, as compared to Clinton County, noting that Clinton was by far the cheapest in rates all across the region. He suggested new rates be put in place to help local emergency services meet expenses and be competitive with area ambulance service rates.

Scott also noted that Medicaid and Medicare have their own rate system and pay a certain amount only of a run cost, regardless of what the rates are set at. Also, with people who have health insurance, their insurance company would be billed first.

The court agreed the ambulance service run rates needed to be adjusted to help the service financially, and on a motion by magistrate Craig, approved the new rates as follows:

* BLS (Basic Life Support non-emergency) at $400 (compared to $200); BLS emergency, $700 (opposed to $300); ALS (Advanced Life Support non-emergency) at $550 (compared to $450 current); ALS emergency at $800 (opposed to $550 current); ALS 2 at $900 (compared to $550) and SCT, $1,000 (compared to $550).

The court also voted unanimously to approve updates to the EMS Standard Operations Procedures (SOP) which includes more documentation on run times, among other changes.

The next regular meeting of Clinton Fiscal Court is scheduled for Thursday, December 15 at 5 p.m. in the upstairs courtroom of the courthouse and is open to the public.