Martin judge, magistrates overpaid for expenses

By Lilly Adkins

BSN Associate Editor

INEZ — Members of the Martin County Fiscal opened bids and learned they had been overpaid and would have to reimburse the county during a special meeting Thursday.

Martin County Judge-Executive Victor Slone said Magistrates were supposed to be paid $300 per month for expense pay and had instead received $400 per month for a period of time.

Auditors discovered the mistake and advised that the only recourse was for them to pay it back, Slone said.

Slone also said that he had gotten overpaid and would also have to pay back the money.

In business from the meeting, the fiscal court received only one bid, from Breaking Point Solutions, for a broadband study and agreed to review the 30 or so pages and make a decision.

The court unanimously approved the acceptance of an asphalt bid from Blacktop Industries, which Slone said was the low bid at $92 to $96 per ton laid.

No bids were received for the Henry Goble Bridge, but the court unanimously authorized advertising for two more weeks to see if they could get a response.

Slone said that they had to talk about the Martin County Government Center debt service and that he would need authorization to draw down on coal severance to pay it.

Slone said that they usually do that every two years and read a resolution regarding draw down of up to $721,179.74 in local government single-county funds.

The court unanimously authorized Slone to sign the necessary documents to take care of the project.

The fiscal court also approved the hiring of a new transport officer, Josh Hunt, with all in favor.

Slone told the fiscal court members that they had not received any bids for the surplus property in the old Martin County Courthouse and that they would have to do something with it themselves.

The court agreed that they would donate the items to various entities, including fire departments, the library and the Martin County Historical Society.

In other business, the fiscal court unanimously approved the minutes from the July 15 regular meeting and the financials.