Beech Tree News Network

Butler County Fiscal Court met at the courthouse on Monday, July 22. Magistrates Stevie Givens, Kevin Phelps, Allen Smith, David Whittinghill, and Dillon Bryant were in attendance.

In new business, Carla Sandusky from Spectrum gave an update on the fiber optic internet in the county.  

"We have completed 1,165 homes and approximately 124 miles of fiber optic in the county," said Sandusky.

Spectrum started in the southern part of the county and hopes to be completed by 2026. They are waiting for state money to be released to complete the $13.7 million project.

The court set the 2024 property tax rate at 7.5 percent, the compensating rate, by a 3-2 vote. David Whittinghill and Kevin Phelps voted to increase the rate by 4 percent, while Allen Smith, Stevie Givens, and Dillon Bryant voted to take the compensating rate.

The state sets the 2025 motor vehicle and watercraft tax rates at 10.8%.

The court approved two updates to the administrative code:

--Order of Business: At the beginning of each fiscal court meeting, the judge/executive will inquire about any additional business to be added to the agenda from any layperson in attendance. The Fiscal Court shall have the authority to add amendments at the request of a layperson to said agenda at any time if the subject of the said amendment is deemed to be in the best interest of Butler County. A majority vote of the members; otherwise, additional items will be added for the next regularly scheduled meeting.

--CPI (consumer price index)—County elected officials not covered by the KRS 64.5275 salary schedule (Corner, surveyor, attorney, and magistrates) shall automatically receive the annual CPI in February of each year.  

Magistrates agreed to donate $300 each of their celebration money to the Battle Under the Bridge Tractor Pull.  

The court unanimously approved the following additional items:

--Insurance check to the Rochester VFD for hail damage of $29,043.58

--1st District VFD Financial Statement

--Interlocal Agreement- Logan County for paving .07 of a mile of Woolridge Road

--Bills and Transfers

--Transfer $35,000 from the General Fund to the Jail Fund

--Litter abatement payment to BCMS Yearbook $600

--Monthly treasurer's settlement

--Pay transient tax

--Transfer $40,000 from the general fund to the E911 fund

--Dumpster for Rochester $650

--Pay Federal Excise Tax

--Replace toilets at the Senior Center

--$1,600 donation to the Barren River Area Child Advocacy Center

The Butler County Fiscal Court held a called meeting on Thursday, July 25, at 8:00am. All magistrates were in attendance.

The court approved to be guarantors for the Butler County EMS line of credit at Morgantown Bank and Trust for $300,000; refunded $33,348.33 (money not used by the county) to the state for the 2023 Illegal Open Dump Grant; and approved the county Road Department pay scale increases due to some employees' experience and skill set.