Clinton County Fiscal Court held a short one-item special meeting Thursday afternoon, May 26, with all members on hand.

The fiscal court meeting last Thursday was the first of three meetings on the same day that related, in one way or another, to the approval and eventual construction on the site for a new Clinton County Justice Center.

The only issue was the approval of an MOU (Memorandum of Understanding) between the county and Administrative Office of the Courts (AOC). It dealt with added state “usage” funds to be used on the project.

The Justice Center facility project was approved in the 2020 Kentucky Legislative session.

During the brief meeting, a motion was made by Magistrate Mickey Riddle, seconded by Gary Ferguson, to amend the Judicial Branch MOU to include the added funding.

Judge/Executive Ricky Craig told the court the state had approved the additional funds and the money will be used on such items as demolition, facility design, etc..

Originally, the usage fund amount for the then $17,435.00 project was $1,661,200.

The new amount, effective July 1 of this year, according to the amended MOU, will be $1,769,900, or an overall additional fund input of $108,700.00.

The Memorandum of Understanding noted adding the usage allowance increase was approved by the 2022 state legislature.

Under the original “Scope of Services” in the MOU agreement with the county and AOC, it noted in part about the project:

“Construction in Clinton County of a new judicial facility totaling 30,000 square feet to accommodate the Kentucky Court of Justice function which includes but not limited to Circuit Court, Family Court, District Court, Circuit Court Clerk, Drug Court, Pretrial Services and Juvenile Services. The current courthouse is deficient in space and is not configured for safe, effective, and efficient Court of Justice operations.”

(Related articles on the Justice Center project, including meetings of Albany City Council and Project Development Board, can be found elsewhere in this week’s edition.)

Following the vote to amend the MOU, the short session was adjourned.

The next regular meeting of Clinton Fiscal Court is scheduled for Thursday, June 16, at 5 p.m. in the upstairs courtroom of the courthouse and is open to the public.