Lawrence court OK’s trash rate hike due to haulers’ increased gas costs

The Lawrence County Fiscal Court approved an increase in garbage rates at its regular meeting Tuesday. BSN photo/Lilly Adkins

By Lilly Adkins

BSN Associate Editor

LOUISA — The Lawrence County Fiscal Court conducted a lot of business during Tuesday’s meeting and approved a rate increase for garbage haulers due to the increase in fuel prices.

Lawrence County Judge Phillip Carter told the court that the garbage haulers were asking for an increase of $4 per customer and $2 per senior customer, due to the increase in gas prices.

The fiscal court instead unanimously approved an increase of $2 per customer and $1 per senior customer.

A motion approving the increase was made by Magistrate John Scaggs and seconded by Magistrate Mike Halcomb, with all in favor.

The court also unanimously approved an amendment to the sheriff’s 2022 maximum salaries for deputies and assistants and an amendment to the sheriff’s 2022 budget.

Sheriff Chuck Jackson said it wasn’t taxpayer dollars but instead money that comes from the Administrative Office of the Courts and CLEF funds, which act as a monthly bonus for court security officers.

In other business, bids were awarded to American Asphalt and BTI for asphalt, Big Sandy Resources and Big Sandy Stone as a backup for gravel, and Buffalo Valley for quarry pickup and Hanson Aggregates as backup. Kentucky Contractors Supply of Grayson was the only bid for pipe and was awarded the bid.

A representative of the state highway department was at the meeting and told the court that they had gotten an increase this year for the Rural Secondary Road Program for fiscal year 2022-2023 22/23. He said Lawrence County’s total amount was $1,534,940. He explained that flex funds had increased over $40,000 and advised the court that they would be making improvements to KY 828, KY 581 and Five Forks, Greenbriar Road. He also said they are trying to find funding to replace the KY 581 bridge.

The court unanimously approved the agreement regarding the rural secondary road program.

The court also unanimously approved a resolution for a Blaine Park grant, a resolution for the Fallsburg Community Center and Park, a resolution for Lawrence County Wilderness Park and a resolution for Chapman Park.

The fiscal court approved a $5,000 donation to the Bicentennial Committee for upcoming events, with a motion from Magistrate Rick Blackburn and seconded by Scaggs, with all in favor.

Appointing a member to the Solid Waste Board was on the agenda, but Carter said there were none at this time and passed it on to the next item.

Phillip Hunt with the Kentucky Association of Counties (KACo) was at the meeting to talk about health insurance. He said that health insurance premiums have gone up approximately 5.4 percent and whether the court wanted to renew with them or go with United, they would be there to support them. But he said if the county doesn’t remain a part of the KACO insurance, they couldn’t guarantee a cap on the increase.

The court decided to wait and look over its options and talk to the employees to see what they wanted before making a decision on who they wanted to select for insurance coverage.

Also during the meeting, a member of the Blaine Fire Department was at the meeting and said they had a vehicle they wanted to sell but wasn’t sure how to go about it and whether it should go through the fiscal court.

Carter explained that if it had the court’s name on it, it would have to be declared as surplus before it could be bid out and sold. The court voted to declare the 1999 Expedition as surplus.

Lawrence County Tourism Director Wes Kingsmore updated the court and said they have a lot going on with the county’s bicentennial and that there will be fireworks at Fallsburg, Blaine and Cherryville in addition to Louisa on the 4th of July.

Kingsmore also told the court that they just got a grant for a webpage, but that they are currently mainly using Facebook to let people know what is going on.

Sheriff Jackson also took a moment to thank all of the people who had helped with Camp Caleb this year and announced that they had 17 children in attendance.

In other business, the fiscal court approved the minutes of the May 24 meeting, the second reading of the fiscal year 2022-2023 budget, the second reading of budget amendment #5, the treasurer’s request, the treasurer’s report and the bills.