Clinton County Fiscal Court, with all members present including three new incoming members and a new county judge/executive, took care of some start of the year business during a less than half-hour special meeting Monday morning, January 7.

New court members include first time magistrates Ray Marcum and Gary Ferguson and former magistrate Jerry Lowhorn.

Ricky Craig, who has attended meetings for many years in the role as Clinton County Magistrate, was at Monday’s meeting for the first time in his new role as Clinton County Judge/Executive.

The court first dealt with hiring of current and some new personnel, along with setting pay scales for those employees.

Judge/Executive Craig noted that most employees and positions are unchanged and recommended pay rates remain the same as the past year for most.

There will be changes in the judge’s office staff and a new road foreman.

The court voted, by department, on the employees’ hiring and pay rates, including the personnel recommended by new jailer Tracy Thurman, who will be employed at the local detention facility in various capacities, including administrative positions and deputy jailers.

Thurman recommended one full-time and five-part time deputy jailers, noting some past employees wouldn’t be back. He also noted he would be living at the jail himself, which would help cut down on a position.

All county employees such as the finance officer, occupational tax administrator, etc. will remain unchanged, with the only split vote being 5-1 with magistrate Mickey Riddle voting no when it came to re-hiring Virginia Conner as OTA.

Craig’s office staff will consist of Laramie Scott, who will be Deputy Judgeand Kelly Abston, Administrative Assistant. The new County Road Foreman will be Danny Abston.

Craig also noted that 911 Mapping Coordinator Andy Davis would have additional duties with no pay increase, with those duties consisting of handling paperwork at the recycling center and the position of Solid Waste Coordinator.

Following the hiring and setting pay rates for personnel, the court acknowledged receiving information that all employees, such as the sheriff, constables, county clerk’s office employees, etc. were bonding under state law with the bonds filed in the county clerk’s office.

The court, by unanimous vote, accepted the sheriff’s office calendar year budget.

Emergency Management Director Lonnie Scott then addressed the court requesting they accept bids and/or proposals from companies that supply power-lift stretcher cots.

Scott explained that only a couple of companies in the United States make such EMS equipment and the lowest price from one of the companies was $18,000 per unit, or about $54,000 total. However, Scott said a company could buy back some older cots and reduce the total cost to around $52,000 total.

There is already a $10,000 grant that will help pay for the up front cost, with another $10,000 grant expected that can be used to help fund the equipment.

If purchased, the county would then make annual payments to finish up the total cost over a three to four year period.

A motion was made and passed unanimously to advertise for bids/proposals for the power-lift stretchers, with the bids to be opened at a call meeting scheduled for January 24.

Prior to adjourning the 25-minute session, the court voted to approve the annual “standing orders” which allows payments to be made for monthly recurring expenses prior to actual fiscal court meeting action.

The first regular meeting of Clinton Fiscal Court will be held next Thursday, January 17 at 5 p.m. in the upstairs courtroom of the courthouse and is open to the general public.

Clinton County’s new fiscal court held its first meeting of the new year and new term Monday morning with a short special meeting in the Eddie C. Lovelace Courtroom. In the photo above, Clinton County Emergency Management Director Lonnie Scott addresses the court about a proposal to purchase new power-lift stretcher cots.