Clinton Fiscal Court voted to begin the process of magisterial district apportionment and accepted a jail grant for technology at a special called meeting last Thursday afternoon, June 1, with four of five magistrates present.
A total of four items of business were on the agenda for the brief meeting, which also included two representatives from the Lake Cumberland Area Development District (LCADD), which will be working with county commissions and County Clerk Nathan Collins in the reapportionment process.
Magisterial reapportionment is required under state statute and is done every 10 years, following each U.S. Census. However, due in part to the COVID pandemic, the state legislature delayed the process in the House and Senate during this particular census cycle.
State law requires that each magisterial district be as close to equal as possible in terms of number of residents.
The LCAAD District has aided the county and commissioners with the study of the magisterial areas in the past and at last week’s meeting, the fiscal court agreed to a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) with the LCADD to assist once again.
Three commissioners to do the work on the process were also appointed last week, with County Clerk Nathan Collins serving as a non-voting member of that board.
One of the LCADD representatives explained the district reallocation process and the role LCADD would play in assisting the local commissioners in the process.
The LCADD will help look at the latest census data and look at how to equalize each district in conjunction with the Board of Commissioners.
The data will reflect the latest population figures from the 2020 census.
The representative noted the board would have 60 days to redraw the district boundaries, if needed, and there are options on how that could be done.
Once the commissioners submit their work to the fiscal court, there would be a 20 day window for voters to raise any questions or comments on the findings.
Depending on the number of registered voters in each magisterial district, the worst case scenario would be having to shift some voters from one precinct or district to another to make the districts equal in population of voters. It might be necessary to add  or delete districts, which now stands at six in the county.
However, the best outcome could be that no changes from the current boundary make-up would have to be made and no voters would have to change the precinct or district in which they now vote.
Judge/Executive Ricky Craig said the latest census conducted three years ago showed a drop in the number of overall residents, noting that was not a good sign.
He said the Census numbers are very important to counties in helping them receive federal funding and other resources.
During the discussion, the court took two votes:
Judge Craig presented three names to the court to consider to serve on the redistricting commission, including Jeremy Ferguson, Jim Elmore and Mark Neal, to serve with County Clerk Nathan Collins.
A motion was made by Magistrate Gary Ferguson to approve the aforementioned people, which passed by unanimous vote.
Also, on a motion by Magistrate Jason Pitman, the court voted unanimously to approve the MOA (Memorandum of Agreement) with the LCADD to assist in the reapportionment process.
The MOA reads in part:
“LCADD shall undertake and complete the work… adjustments in the scope may be necessary; however, no change in the work will be initiated without prior written approval of the LCADD and Fiscal Court. Proposed reapportionment shall be generated by LCADD using the current number of districts as are in the county at the time of execution of this MOA. LCADD will only provide or generate materials and maps that propose a reduction and/or addition of magisterial districts upon formal request by the Fiscal Court, as evidenced by Fiscal Court action.
“Furthermore, LCADD will provide necessary information/data, in acceptable form, to comply with KRS 67.045 as part of the project. Create an ESRI shapefile depicting existing district boundaries. Utilize census block level data to compute the population in each magisterial district, and to determine whether reapportionment is needed.  Alter magisterial district boundaries to equalize population if needed. Provide the Fiscal Court maps for review and approval.
“For the scope…the Fiscal Court shall pay LCADD a one-time evaluation fee of $325 and an assistance fee of $45 per hour, not to exceed 75 hours, for work completed by the LCADD.”
Also during last week’s special meeting, Judge Craig announced the Clinton County Jail has received an equipment grant of $40,746.
The grant funds will be used for technology related equipment such as cameras, computers, etc. and will allow for such things as arraignments, court appearances, and so forth by inmates to be conducted at the local jail.
Some magistrates noted this would eventually be a savings to the county, as some inmates would not have to be transported to other areas on scheduled court appearance dates.
Magistrate Ferguson made a motion to accept the 100% funded jail equipment grant, which passed by unanimous vote.
The court also approved three between meeting cash transfers totaling $65,000. All transfers were made from the Occupational checking account.
On motions by Magistrate Ferguson and Pitman, respectively, they approved $20,000 transfers each to the jail and ambulance checking accounts, and on a motion by Magistrate Mickey Riddle, approved a $25,000 transfer to the general fund checking account.
Also on a motion by Magistrate Riddle, the court unanimously approved some between meeting claims and bills.
Due to the judge and magistrates having to attend a conference during the date of the fiscal court’s next regular meeting date, the court will instead have a special call meeting the week following, on Thursday, June 22, at 5 p.m.