Martin County Fiscal Court Holds Regular Meeting

By Lilly Adkins

BSN Associate Editor

INEZ — Martin County Fiscal Court held their regular meeting on April 20, during which they approved to advertise for bids for a request for qualifications of engineering firms in connection with a sewer project extension.

Martin County Judge Executive Lon Lafferty explained that the county had received a $3.1 million grant and that a committee would also have to be appointed to look at the qualifications of the engineering firms. He recommended the court approve the fiscal court as the committee who would oversee the qualifications.

Big Sandy Area Development District Executive Director, Eric Ratliff explained that it is a $3,107,000 grant that is earmarked as a sewer project extension along Davella Road and Old Rt. 3, to provide them with city sewer.

Lafferty asked the court to approve Big Sandy Area Development District as the administrator over the grant.

The court approved, but it wasn’t unanimous, Magistrate Cody Slone voted against it.

“The issue is the lift station at Saltwell. It’s a four-pump station, that previously had one pump and now none,” Slone said. “The lift station at Davis Branch can’t handle, Saltwell could, but it’s currently non-operational.”

Ratliff explained that the pump station would be repaired.

The fiscal court talked about the fact that they agreed to adopt and to take out roads during the months of April and October and explained the process of doing both.

County Attorney Melissa Fannin-Phelps explained that they must first tender petitions to either adopt roads or to remove them, then advertise it, after which a committee including the county road foreman, would review the roads before making a recommendation to the court, who would then make their decision.

There were 21 roads named to be included and added to the county road list and two up for removal.

The Court voted unanimously to begin the process for both.

The fiscal court unanimously approved the County Road Aid Agreement with the Transportation Cabinet.

Lafferty explained that they would receive $867, 785.16 next year.

The fiscal court voted unanimously to advertise for bids for an HVAC system for the Old Historical Martin County Courthouse.

“The money is already been approved,” Lafferty said. “I wish we would have done it before it burned halfway down.”

The fiscal court also unanimously voted to advertise for roadside mowing.

“Next year, we probably need to do this earlier,” Lafferty said. “It’s kind of tall now.”

The court approved a resolution for park improvements.

Lafferty explained that it was $250,000 out of the LGED fund.

The court unanimously approved the hiring of Carmel Cline as the new Recoveries Resource Manager at a salary of $50,000, through the Cares Program Funds.

The fiscal court approved the part-time hiring of Scott Pravens and Shawn Salyers in the 911 office, with a salary of $11 per hour, as well as Cara Grace who is a part-time worker in the Martin County Judge Executive’s Office.

The fiscal court opened bids on surplus property and awarded the bids to the highest bidder, which included Charles May, $650, on a 2010 Ford 250; Charles May, $750, on a 2007 F250; Brian Mollett, $625, on a 2004 Crown Victoria; Bill Hammond, $75, on a John Deer Mower; James and Crystal McCoy, $1,000, on a piece of property located at Wolf Creek; and Warfield Church of God, $5,000, on property in Warfield located between the church and the IGA.

Martin County Sheriff John Kirk addressed the court to ask that they consider putting the $22,000 he provided them from his office in excess fees toward the purchase or lease of a vehicle.

Lafferty said it was an excellent idea and that he is for it.

“I’ve made the court aware of the need,” Lafferty said. “We have started the process to seek vehicles for you.”

Fannin-Phelps explained that there would have to a budget amendment, next meeting.

Slone also told the court that the Turkey Fire Department had asked him to let the court know that the engine in one of their trucks has ceased to move the truck and to ask that Deputy Judge Carolea Dials could maybe look for a grant.

In other business, the court approved the minutes from March 23, the Treasurer’s bond, B & O Tax bond, and the financials.