Clinton County Fiscal Court held its monthly meeting last Thursday evening, November 17 with all members present and a wide array of issues discussed, presented and/or acted upon during the one and-a-half hour session.

The first action item on the agenda was paying claims and bills, including election expenses and election workers’ pay. There were questions raised about the cost of some recent repairs made to the Community Center, with some magistrates feeling the work was too high on that particular project. Also, some magistrates said county employees had to be used to finish up the work.

Following discussion, a motion was made by Magistrate Willard Johnson and seconded by Magistrate Patty Guinn to pay the claims and bills, with the motion passing 4-2 with Magistrates Ricky Craig and Charlotte Bernard also voting in favor and Magistrates Phillip Parrigin and Mickey Riddle voting no, apparently due to the repair cost issue.

After approving the monthly treasurer’s report and fund transfers, Albany Mayor Nicky Smith, who was present for most of the court meeting, invited the court members to the annual city Christmas dinner that will be held December 1 at the fairgrounds.

Another discussion ensued when bids for new gas furnaces and installation of the equipment at the Community Center were opened.

Two bids were received on the project, one from Logan’s Heating and Cooling of Byrdstown, Tennessee and the other from Albany Plumbing and Electric.

Logan’s bid was for $3,987 and Albany Plumbing submitted two bids on two different types of furnaces, one at $5,370 and the other at $4,770. The lower unit of the bid was higher than the Logan’s bid.

There was some discussion among the court members about whether to accept the lower bid or award it to a local company. It was noted during the discussion that some local people also worked at the Byrdstown location.

Magistrate Willard Johnson stated that since the work was being paid for with federal (grant) money, and if the units are the same, they should go with the low bidder. Also, Judge/Executive Lyle Huff recommended, for the same reason, the low bid be accepted.

A motion was made by Johnson to accept Logan’s bid but it died for lack of a second.

Magistrate Mickey Riddle, citing that Albany Plumbing was a local company, then moved to accept their bid, which passed on a 4-2 vote with Magistrates Parrigin, Guinn and Craig also voting and Magistrates Johnson and Bernard voting no.

The court then voted to keep the fee schedule for electrical inspector Jackie Spears at the same rates that had been in effect under South Kentucky RECC, with the stipulation that payments go directly to the inspector and not as a pass through with the county. Also, the contract for the inspection service will be reviewed on an annual basis.

Magistrate Riddle made the motion to keep the fee schedule as is, with no pass through money involved with the county. The motion passed unanimously.

Spears, who has done electrical inspections for South Kentucky RECC, also said local inspections in Clinton County would be done once per week. Recently, the electric cooperative, citing a loss in revenue to perform the service, announced it would no longer be offering electrical inspections in its service area.

Dr. William C. Powell and Amanda England of the Lake Cumberland Area Development District, addressed the court concerning the high cancer rates reported in Clinton County compared to other areas. A separate article on that report can be found this week, beginning on page 1.

Following the presentations by Dr. Powell and England, Director of Emergency Services Lonnie Scott informed the court that Clinton County had received one of three Homeland Security grants it had originally applied for, as well as being a part of another grant shared by a four-county area.

The EMS did receive a $41,000 grant to replace three 911 Dispatch consoles and was part of a $43,750 grant received by Clinton and three other counties as part of the Wolf Creek Dam reverse 911 system, that being a continuation grant for two more years.

The county was turned down on a grant that would have been used to purchase three new tornado sirens.

On a motion by Magistrate Craig, the court voted unanimously to approve a resolution to accept and administer the funds through the AD District.

The court then voted unanimously to reappoint Dr. Charles Daley and Nancy Mims to the County Extension Service Board.

Magistrate Bernard then noted that some residents on the George Sell Road had requested the name of that road be changed.

Judge/Executive Huff said he would have to deny that request, citing problems with changing county road names. After some discussion, however, he agreed to have himself and DES Director Scott to meet with the residents on that road who had requested the name change.

The judge also told the court that an application for a recycling center in the county had been approved for 2012, but whether or not funds would be available was in question.

Magistrate Parrigin also asked about putting some speed bumps on some roads in his district, but it is uncertain if the Department of Local Government would allow speed bumps placed on county roads. The court directed County Attorney Michael Rains to research that question.

Magistrate Patty Guinn then questioned Judge Huff as to whether or not the county was getting all its rock from Albany Quarry, saying she had heard remarks made not to buy anymore from Gaddie-Shamrock.

Judge Huff explained that, as a result of the fiscal court approving the purchase of rock from both companies earlier this year, he had directed his road foreman that rock and tile would also have to be purchased from Albany Quarry as well as Gaddie-Shamrock.

Finance Officer Tuesday Davis presented some invoice amounts showing that gravel and tile has been purchased from both local companies since the start of the 2011-12 fiscal year.

This past spring, when approving bids on road materials, the court voted to purchase rock from both local companies.

Judge Huff then informed the court members about some thefts of traps that had been taking place at the animal shelter and there was some discussion about possibly not taking any more animals after normal hours. No action was taken at this time.

County Treasurer Dallas Sidwell then reported to the court that estimates for the cost of county employee insurance, which would take effect March 1 of next year, showed an estimated 14 percent increase in cost. That would translate to the county’s share being about $41,580 more a year.

No action was taken, but the issue will be taken up in January.

Jailer Gene Ferrill and County Attorney Rains then discussed with the court statutes relating to the hiring and firing of jail personnel.

According to state law, Rains said that the jailer has sole responsibility of whom he hires and/or fires, with the county only stipulating the number of jail employees and their salaries.

Recently, a new KRS statute changed mandates on the minimum number of employees that has to be staffed at a full-service facility with 80 beds or less, which would include the Clinton County Jail. The new staffing requirements have some smaller counties concerned about being able to fund the added employees. A separate article on the new jail staffing mandates and its effect, if any, on the local detention center, will be published next week.

During the jail discussion, Jailer Ferrill said that he had moved Deputy Jailer Deborah DeHart from full to part-time and Betty Boykin would serve as cook and part-time deputy jailer, since female deputies have to be on duty when the facility has female inmates.

The court voted to set each of the aforementioned employees’ salaries at $8.50 per hour. Ferrill also said he would need to hire another part-time female deputy to meet the staffing requirements.

Prior to adjourning, Magistrate Johnson invited the court to participate in a joint pancake breakfast in early December, sponsored by Albany and Beech Bottom Masonic Lodges. He said the proceeds from the breakfast would be split between the city and county and used to buy food and toys to distribute to families in need at Christmas.

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