Clinton Fiscal Court held its regular monthly meeting last Thursday, March 16 with all members present. The court dealt with various road department and road related issues, opened bids on illegal dump clean-ups and voted to employ a new animal shelter coordinator after the announcement that current coordinator Janet Brummett will be stepping down at the end of this month. (A separate article on the animal shelter coordinator position can be found beginning on page 1.)

The court first opened bids on two illegal dump sites, the Stinson Road site and the Hwy. 696 location from various bidders. Bids ranged from $28,255 to $32,700 on the Stinson Road dump, and from $108,000 upward to $149,333 on the larger dump site on Hwy. 696.

Clinton County Judge/Executive Richard Armstrong recommended that since the dump locations are so close in proximity to each other, the court should consider awarding a bid to one bidder only for both clean-ups.

No action was taken on the bids last week as magistrates will review the bids and take action on a contract at a later date, possibly with a special call meeting.

After being presented the monthly treasurer’s report from County Treasurer Tuesday Davis, the court, after some magistrates questioned some items, again split on paying claims and bills, with each dissenter again opposed to paying inmate lunches.

The motion to pay claims and bills was made by Magistrate Hershell Key and passed with Johnny Russell and Terry Buster also voting in favor and Magistrates Mickey Riddle, Ricky Craig and Patty Guinn also voting no.

Again judge Armstrong noted that the county was reimbursed through the Litter Abatement program for work release inmates who help clean up litter along county roadways. Magistrate Craig said that in the past, under former jailer Gene Ferrill, inmates who did this type of work were fed a sack lunch out of the jail fund.

The court did approve fund transfers by unanimous vote, as well as a resolution authorizing judge Armstrong to apply for another round of recyling grant money, which the county has to re-apply for annually. The funds would be used to purchase more equipment for the recycling station. Magistrate Craig also asked that a monthly recycling report be given to court members for review.

A Kentucky Department of Transportation Engineer then presented the court with a run down of Clinton County road aid funding for the coming year, including FLEX funds which can be used by the county in determining which roads in each district needs the most work.

Clinton County’s 2017-18 Rural Secondary Road program, minus administrative and other costs, will receive a total amount of $492,517 with much of that going on two stretches of roadway determined by the Transportation Cabinet.

Resurfacing will be done on a stretch of road on Hwy. 639 at a cost of $218,499 and on Ky. 968 in the Beaty Creek area at a cost of $88,976. The fiscal court will determine how to use some $185,080 in FLEX funds in each magisterial district and judge Armstrong urged magistrates to begin looking at the roads in their district that were in most need of repair.

Magistrate Mickey Riddle questioned the state engineer as to how the determination (by the state) was made on which roads would be resurfaced prior to magistrate Craig making the motion to accept the road aid funds, which passed by unanimous vote. The engineer did explain the process to the court of exactly how those roads are chosen.

On a previous suggested by magistrate Craig, judge Armstrong recommended that each magistrate receive an allotment of $30,000 from the county road fund, as well as the judge having the like allotment for use on road repairs, for a total of $210,000 from the road fund to be used by each magistrate for work in their respective districts.

The motion to accept the allotment was made by magistrate Buster, who also stipulated in the motion that a portion of the funds could also be used toward installing guardrails in areas where needed. The motion passed unanimously.

Also in relation to the road department, the court voted to purchase a 2003 model tandem dump truck at a cost of $14,000. This will be the second truck purchased this year, and judge Armstrong noted that two older trucks would be taken out of service and put up for sale. The motion to purchase the truck was made by magistrate Key, seconded by magistrate Guinn and passed 6-0.

Prior to the discussion on the animal shelter and the coordinator position, the court voted unanimously to approve the Clinton County Jail Policies and Procedures that was presented by jailer Johnny Thrasher.

Also, the court voted, on a recommendation by judge Armstrong, to be a sponsor to help purchase children’s books for grades one and four to be put in the school system next year from The Ambassador Company. The cost is $399 per year over a three-year commitment.

Judge Armstrong, in making the recommendation, noted the books mentioned God and stressed God and family values for children in the aforementioned grades. The motion for the county to be a sponsor of placing the books at Albany Elementary School was made by magistrate Riddle and passed unanimously.

The next regular meeting of Clinton Fiscal Court is scheduled for April 20 at 5 p.m.