Clinton Fiscal Court held its regular meeting on Thursday, September 19, with all magistrates present for the just under one hour session.
Although the court dealt with several general items of business, including tax rates, tax settlements and department head updates, an issue surrounding funding for the sheriff’s department took up a large portion of the meeting, which included a closed session on the issue.
(A separate article on the sheriff’s office debate can be found beginning on page 1.)
The court first approved minutes from its July regular meeting, with the exception of the closing of the Glidewell Road, which the court opted not to close.
They had previously voted to begin the process of closing the road, but apparently upon request by some landowners in the area, had opted not to close the road. A motion to accept the minutes with the exception of closing the road was made by Magistrate Gary Ferguson and passed by unanimous vote.
The court then acknowledged receiving the treasurer’s report and on a motion by Magistrate Mickey Riddle, approved the monthly report as presented.
Four cash transfers were then approved on separate votes, with two $40,000 transfers each being made from the occupational fund checking account to the jail and ambulance checking accounts, following motions by Magistrates Jason Pitman and Terry Buster, respectively.
On a motion by Magistrate Ferguson, a $1,000 transfer was made to the DES checking account from the occupational fund and on a motion by Magistrate Riddle, the court approved a $14,665.46 transfer from the ARPA account to the general fund checking account.
The four transfers totaled $95,665.46.
The court voted to approve the payment of monthly claims and bills.
The court then acknowledged receiving the upcoming year’s tax rates for a pair of local taxing districts.
The UK Cooperative Extension Service rates were presented at 9.6 cents per $100 assessed value on real property, 12.78 cents on personal and 2.0 cents on motor vehicle. All rates were unchanged from the previous year.
Clinton County Librarian Margaret England then presented the rates for the public library, saying the library board had taken the allowed compensating rate, however, it was still lower by a tenth of one percent compared to a year ago.
The library rate is 4.8 per $100 assessed value on real property and 5.22 on tangible property.
England also gave the court members a brief update on the progress of the library’s renovation and expansion project, which is likely to begin in early 2025. She noted a construction bid may be approved early this fall on the project.
County Clerk Nathan Collins then presented his office clerk settlement/excess fees, presenting the county with a check in the amount of $3,685.23 in excess fees. A motion by Magistrate Pitman to accept the annual County Clerk settlement passed unanimously.
Randy Jones, Tax Administrator for the Clinton County Sheriff’s Office, then presented three small separate checks totaling $61 plus in various fees for the sheriff’s office settlement. A motion to accept the sheriff’s office settlement was made by Magistrate Tony Delk and passed unanimously.
Judge/Executive Ricky Craig then recommended that Amanda Dalton be hired as an employee with the Clinton County Attorney’s Office, with the county portion of her salary being $14.50 per hour. She will also be paid for her personal duties with the county attorney.
The motion to hire Dalton was made by Magistrate Buster and passed by unanimous vote. She will be replacing long-time employee Amy Albertson, who is retiring from that position.
Clinton County Jailer Bruce Stearns then gave his monthly report, updating the squires on the need for some additional security cameras in parts of the jail.
Stearns said the jail inspector had not said the cameras were mandatory, but would be “good to have.”
The jailer also said the facility was in need of a new printer, with the current one hardly working. He said the cost of a new printer was quoted at around $1,300.
During the discussion, Magistrate Riddle interjected, asking the jailer about the facility being cited by the inspector six times. Stearns countered that those points have been addressed and taken care of with the jail inspector.
Magistrate Delk asked the jailer how many cameras at the jail were actually working and how many more were needed.
Stearns said about five additional cameras were needed and would bring the facility up to 28 total.
Judge Craig recommended Stearns get an exact quote on the number of cameras needed, as well as the cost of cameras and printer, and present them at the fiscal court’s next regular meeting.
Emergency Management Director Lucas Abner then gave an update on the local EMS, highlighting the number and type of runs made during the past month. The ambulance billing agency was able to collect $65,797.09 for the EMS during the period.
Abner also noted the fence around the new radio frequency tower was installed and secured.
Clinton County Sheriff Ricky Marcum, during his monthly report, also thanked Abner for his assistance on the day when a Russell County Deputy Sheriff had been killed in the line of duty earlier in the week.
At this point, discussion turned to the financial assistance request for the sheriff’s office, with more details in a separate article.
In other business following the sheriff’s department funding discussion, one resident questioned the court as to whether or not the county had agreed to allow cannabis sales in the county.
Judge Craig said, “as of right now, we have opted in,” but noted that could change prior to the January 1 deadline.
The court originally voted to disallow any medical cannabis dispensary to be  allowed in the county. However, they later re-visited the issue and voted to approve it after obtaining more information on the issue.
Both votes–to ban the sale, then allow a dispensary if one is licensed–were split 3-2 votes.
During the court’s latest vote in July to opt in on the issue, it was noted that only a limited number of dispensaries would be licensed in the state, and only four in this entire region–with Clinton County likely not to be one of those areas anyway.
One resident voiced concern that with all the other crimes already going on in the county and area, bringing such a product into the county may not be a good idea.
Also, one resident apparently associated with the Glidewell Road issue said he appreciated the court opting not to close the road.
The just under one-hour regular meeting was then adjourned.
The next regular meeting of Clinton Fiscal Court is scheduled for October 17 at 5 p.m.