Clinton County Fiscal Court held another brief regular monthly meeting last Thursday evening, February 15 with five of six members on hand and basic routine items being discussed, including county road petitions and hearing a solid waste report for 2017.

The court first accepted the monthly treasurer’s report, voted to approve claims and bills and line-item only transfers.

Sheriff Jim Guffey then presented the county with a check in the amount of $6,963.95 in excess fees from his office’s 2017 sheriff’s settlement.

The court then followed suit with the City of Albany and approved second and final reading granting Duo County Telecom of Jamestown a high-speed internet franchise along county rights-of-way.

The agreement is non-exclusive (meaning other bidders could bid on such a franchise) for 20 years and will begin in public offices, schools, the library etc. and then in the future be available to residents. Work on the project, which is via state contract, is expected to begin this summer.

The court, both on motions by magistrate Terry Buster, approved resolutions adopting to roads in the third magisterial district–Hoosier Hollar and Kylee Lane into the county road system.

The court, also on a motion by Buster, voted to delay any action on a proposal by a property owner to close off portion of Castle Road, also in the third district. Judge/Executive Richard Armstong noted there was some issues that needed to be resolved before the court took action, primarily the county having a turn-around space at the end of the road for county equipment such as snow plows.

On a motion by magistrate Hershell Key, the court voted to approve the new Data Breach Policy, which is mandated by the state, involving keeping all employee and other types of sensitive information private.

The court then approved the five-year Lake Cumberland Area Development District Hazard Mitigation Plan on a motion by magistrate Ricky Craig.

Emergency Management Director Lonnie Scott noted the plan put in place by the AD district puts in place plans for municipalities and counties to have a plan in place in case of natural disasters and in turn, be eligible for federal aide in case of such emergencies.

Scott also noted the county had some extra funding and would be applying for a few additional tornado sirens for the county in the future.

Also on a motion by Craig, the court voted to hire Jimmy B. Burchett to replace Mike Huckelby, who recently left the road department, at the same rate of start out pay, pending a 90-day trial period.

Rick Stearns then gave the Solid Waste Coordinator report, reporting on the number of illegal dump sites cleaned up with state grant funds in 2017 and other information.

A total of six dumps, including two major dumps which had to be contracted, were cleaned. One was on Ky. 696, that grant amount was for $150,340.00. However, Stearns noted the county had some problems with the contractor’s work and the state paid a total sum for that cleanup of $81,412, with $68,928 in grant funds being returned.

The Stinson Road grant amount was $50,680, with total cost being $29,100 and a $21,580 amount in grant funds being returned.

Some smaller dumps werecleaned up by the county with local employee and jail inmate labor, including on Ky. 350 (Old Monticello Road); Bald Rock; Bell Camp; and Wells Bottom.

The total grant amount allotted to the county was $258,397, with actual expenses of $118,678 for cleanup and $139,719 being reimbursed to the state.

Stearns also noted the county does not have any major dump sites to apply for grant funding in this year’s cycle, however, they do expect to receive around $19,000 in Litter Abatement funds to keep county roadsides cleaned.

He also said there were some cases that are now in the court system involving some areas of the county where “illegal dumping” is taking place and those situations are being investigated.

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