Clinton Fiscal Court met in regular session for an hour and 10 minutes last Thursday, May 18, with all sitting magistrates present.
A couple of potential major issues were presented for the court members’ information and future consideration, including adding more broadband/fiber optic high speed internet service to more areas of the county, and a multi-million dollar solar power project, along with general items of business.
After being presented the treasurer’s report, the court, on a motion by Magistrate Mickey Riddle, voted to accept the monthly report and on a motion by Magistrate Gary Ferguson, approved payment of claims and bills. The latter also included election pay for precinct officers in the past May Primary.
Four separate cash transfers, totaling $117,000 and including claims and bills and employee payroll, were approved unanimously on separate votes, with all transfers being made from the Occupational Fund account.
Transfers included $25,000 to the jail, $40,000 to the ambulance checking account, $50,000 to the general fund and $2,000 to the DES checking account.
Two budget amendments were then approved, one from the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023 and another in the current 2023-24 fiscal year budget.
Bids on various road materials were then opened and read aloud by Clinton Judge/Executive Ricky Craig.
Some companies did not bid on all types of materials and road materials that were bid on included crushed stone, chip seal, hot mix and tile.
As in the past, the court opted to award bids to both local companies that supply road materials, including Gaddie-Shamrock and Albany Quarry, with a motion to that effect being made by Magistrate Riddle and passing unanimously.
Albany Building Center of Albany and Hagan Wholesale of Tompkinsville each submitted bids on tile, with Magistrate Jerry Lowhorn voting to accept both bids. The motion passed without opposition.
The county purchases road materials on a rotating basis from each local company and also has an option to purchase materials from one company if another, although cheaper, is out of stock when the materials are needed.
The court then heard a presentation from two representatives from Windstream pertaining to local broadband/fiber optic service availability areas and possible expansion to more ares in the county.
The representatives told the court over 2,000 households were available for broadband offered by their company, with some people already on the service.
The primary areas where fiber optic lines are now available are in the Cartwright, Snow and Wolf River Dock Road areas, according to a map of the service areas presented to the court members.
One representative said there were five polygons to have the service totally available with two of those being complete. It was also stated the company had seen an uptick of people wishing to sign up for the service.
The representatives said that when broadband service is available in an area, people would be notified in some way and also added it was cheaper to provide fiber optic service.
They said the state had close to $1 billion to assist rural areas with obtaining broadband service in 2024.
Magistrate Tony Delk, who at one point said he would like to see broadband made available to every location in the county, asked what the fiscal court could do to help citizens get the service in their areas.
Although there was no specific answer to Delk’s question, one of the reps said that “funding rules” from the federal government to the state is coming and they would have a better idea on how funding will look and be dispersed by the end of June.
Judge Craig said a major issue with trying to bring the service to the county in the past had been the “high” cost, and when applying for funds to help, there is usually a “match” the county would have to pay.
The representatives told the judge it was the same for companies who supply the service as with counties when it comes to cost, saying one option may be a partnership, or to find other ways–other than financial–for a county to contribute.
Delk said that after more information is made available from the government on the funding, the fiscal court should sit down (with Windstream or whoever can provide the service) and try and make it happen.
Kevin Marcum, a resident in one of the areas specified as to the service being available, asked “How do you apply for it?,” saying he had not seen anything being advertised about it.
The representatives said that people eligible would be notified, because when the service from regular Internet to broadband is switched, they would have to have another type of modem installed in their home.
Another problem discussed in past meetings is that some residents are simply opposed to the broadband option and will not allow lines to be run across their property.
Magistrates asked several questions of the Windstream representatives during the lengthy presentation, which was informational only at this point and no official action was taken.
Following the Windstream presentation, the magistrates were presented a copy of the Clinton County Jail Policies and Procedures for review, with action to be taken later.
The court then approved the Clinton County Sheriff’s Settlement on a motion by Magistrate Lowhorn, which showed an even balance at zero.
Clinton County Sheriff Ricky Marcum commended his office’s Tax Administrator Randy Jones for his hard work in making the settlement balance.
Clinton County Clerk Nathan Collins also requested the court approve the purchase of new voting equipment. The clerk’s office has received a 100% grant of $70,575 for the purchase of the new equipment, according to Collins.
On a motion by Magistrate Gary Ferguson, the court voted unanimously to use the grant funds to purchase the new equipment.
Magistrates Riddle and Delk, who are on a committee to discuss a solar panel project with a company interested in doing business in the county, presented some input from the meeting they had with officials of that company, Energix Renewables of Arlington, Virginia.
Although the process is in the early stages, Magistrate Riddle said the company had 2,700 acres of land leased already for the (minimum) $420 million project.
That land, Riddle said, was primarily on the mountain area in eastern Clinton County and the company is looking for as many more landowners as possible who would lease their property for the project.
Magistrate Delk said, “They’re looking for more land to lease.”
The court members said the solar company apparently wishes to sell the power they generate to local electric utilities such as South Kentucky RECC and East Kentucky Power and in the long run, there may be a savings on electric costs to local residents.
However, it was noted that it would likely be up to the county to negotiate power costs with the utility company, with the solar company selling their energy to the utilities.
Magistrate Delk also said the company officials had a meeting planned with Tyson Foods next week to discuss a project that may help reduce electricity costs at that facility–which is the largest employer in the county.
Both magistrates said the proposal “sounded like a good deal for the county,” and would not be at any cost to the county itself.
“It would be a good deal for the county and farmers for the price of the lease,” said Magistrate Riddle. He noted the lease would be for a 35 year period, with a 15 year extension option.
Judge Craig said if the project were to come to fruition, it would mean a lot of revenue coming to the county.
The judge also noted that company officials would be back soon to address the fiscal court about the project.
Clinton County Jailer Bruce Stearns then gave the monthly jail report, included the number of intakes and those placed on home incarceration during the past month.
The jailer also noted inmates had worked 37 hours in picking up trash along roadways, collecting 120 bags of trash and several tires.
Judge Craig then gave the court results from the recent Dumpster Days event, which was a huge success. Another one is being planned for November.
Magistrate Delk said he was “looking forward to the next one.”
(A separate article and photos of the free Dumpster Days event held at the County Road Department can be found in a separate article.)
The next regular meeting of the Clinton County Fiscal Court is scheduled for Thursday, June 15, at 5:00 p.m. in the upstairs courtroom of the courthouse and is open to the public.