Clinton County Fiscal Court dealt with local tax rates and some other general issues during a short regular meeting last Thursday, September 17.

The meeting, which saw five of six magistrates present, was held in the basement courtroom of the courthouse and lasted only about 15 minutes and was streamed live on the judge/executive’s Facebook page.

The county, on a motion by magistrate Johnny Russell, voted unanimously to set the county tax rate at .0650 per $100 assessed value and .0780 on personal property, both unchanged from the previous year.

The county also received taxing district rates from the extension service, conservation district, and library with all taking the compensating rate, meaning no increased rates for any of the taxing districts.

The health department had presented its rates to the court last month.

The Conservation District rate was 0.019 on real property.

The library rate was set at 4.8 real property, 6.15 personal and 1.14 on motor vehicle and water craft.

The Extension Service rate was set at 8.974 per $100 assessed value on real property, 11.8669 on personal and 2.00 on motor vehicle.

Librarian Gayla Duvall, who is retiring at the end of the year, and her successor as of January 1, 2021, Margaret England, presented the tax rates on behalf of the library, as well as a cover sheet on the 2019/20 fiscal year library use rates.

Christy Nuetzman-Guffey presented the Extension Service rates to the court members.

The court meeting began with the magistrates acknowledging the treasurer’s report, voting to approve the monthly report, paying claims and bills and receiving a line item transfer.

The court also approved, on separate motions, four cash transfers, including $3,500 from the occupational account to the ambulance account; $12,500 from the general fund to the ambulance account; $10,000 from the 911 checking account to the ambulance account and $26,500 from the general fund to the jail account.

On a motion by magistrate Mickey Riddle, the court approved first reading of a budget amendment which will include CARES Act funding. Second reading will be held in late September or early October.

On a motion by magistrate Gary Ferguson, the court voted to approve a resolution accepting a little over $146,000 in FLEX road funds to be used to do repairs on some county roads that the state has approved.

Jailer Tracy Thurman then gave his monthly report, as well as turning in booking/housing and other related fees collected.

Magistrate Ray Marcum then told the court he had been looking at the county maintenance building and said there was a lot of used junk items that made the facility look like a “junk yard.”

Marcum recommended having some type of surplus sale to get rid of some of the old, unused equipment. Clinton County Sheriff Jeff Vincent also noted his department would also like to put a couple of older out-of-service vehicles in such a sale.

That item will be put on a special call meeting agenda when second reading of the budget ordinance is voted on.

Sheriff Vincent also told the court that a repeater on the tower on Poplar Mountain had gone out and it cost $1,900 to be repaired. He informed Judge/Executive Ricky Craig and the court they could discuss ways to pay for it, but noted it had to be repaired.

The sheriff said the cost of a new repeater would be about $9,000, but indicated the repeater was vital to emergency responders.

Prior to the meeting being adjourned, judge/Executive Craig thanked everyone for their support and for sticking together through the COVID-19 pandemic, urging those on hand to look out for their families and friends and keep those affected by the virus in their prayers.

The court is expected to hold a special call meeting one day next week, with its next regular meeting scheduled for Thursday, October 15 at 5 p.m.