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Fiscal Court: Roads, Bids, and 9-1-1

The Butler County Fiscal Court held its final regular meeting for July on Monday night, July 25th. All members were present.

One item of old business awaited the Court. Magistrates needed to make a decision regarding funding paving for North Logan School Road, in the 3rd District.

Third District Magistrate Chad Tyree told the Court at its last meeting that Logan County is repaying the road, and asked for approximately $7,800.00 in road funding so that the Butler County section of the road can be paved as well. At that time Fourth District Magistrate David Whittinghill resisted giving up any Flex Fund monies to go toward the project. The Fourth District was allotted the bulk of Flex Fund monies for this year.

County Judge-Executive David Fields told the Court that funds for the paving could be taken from a $51,000.00 tobacco settlement payment made to the county. Fields said the money can’t be used for salaries, but it would be permissible to use a portion for road work.

Magistrate Whittinghill moved to authorize the funds, with the stipulation that funding for other districts be leveled to match the increase for the Third District. The motion passed 5-0.

Next, the Court discussed bid for the construction of the Leonard Oak boat ramps. Two bids were received for the work; Phillips Brothers Construction-$216,954.00, and Green River Leasing-$171,381.00. Both bids were outside the budget for the work.

After some discussion First District Magistrate Stevie Givens moved to reject both bids, and negotiate to lower the bid prices. The motion passed on a 5-0 vote.

When the floor was opened for discussion items Magistrate David Whittinghill asked County Attorney Dick Deye if he had completed revisions on the proposed mandatory fire dues ordinance. Deye gave a draft of the ordinance to the Court and Emergency Management Director Richard Henderson for review. He told the magistrates that the PVA also needed to review the ordinance and that the Court should consider changing proposed language requiring quarterly reports from fire departments. No action was taken.

Citizen Carlis Raymer questioned the Court about 9-1-1 dispatch and the Butler County Ambulance Service. Raymer asked Judge Fields if dispatch could be moved back to the courthouse so that it would have more oversight. Raymer contends that the $4 fee recently levied on landline phones is a tax on senior citizens, and those people deserve tighter controls by the county on how the money is spent.

He also stated that to him it seemed like 9-1-1 dispatch was ran better when it was in the courthouse. Raymer also pointed out to the Court that 9-1-1 Dispatch pays one-quarter of salaries for EMS Director Brian McKinney and Billing/Addressing Coordinator Nancy Cardwell.

Judge Fields told Raymer that dispatch could be moved back to the courthouse, but it would require equipment to be moved and reinstalled, and other technical challenges.

Raymer then told the Court that he thinks the ambulance service in should be turned over to an outside service provider. He said several other area counties have outside service providers, and they are very satisfied with them. Raymer says the County could save approximately $250,000.00 per year by switching to an outside service. He said the company that covers Todd County could service Butler County for approximately $13,000.00 per month. Raymer said that it currently costs approximately $35,000 per month to operate the ambulance service and dispatch.

Fields explained to Raymer that Todd County does not have a special taxing district for an ambulance service, as Butler County does. He said that any decision about changing to outside service would have to come from the Butler County Ambulance Board. That prompted Fourth District Magistrate David Whittinghill to tell the Court that it created the board and taxing district, and had the power to do away with it.

Raymer closed his remarks by telling the Court that the cost of the ambulance service had been on his mind for some time. He told the Court that it is the role of government to spend tax dollars wisely and to cut waste. Raymer said that he thinks the way the Fiscal Court is currently cutting waste and preventing waste is, "...not very good."

In other business the Court approved payments from the $100-Dollar Mile Litter Abatement Program. Payments will go to; Butler County Boys Soccer-$612.00, Butler County Girls Soccer-$592.00, Gilstrap Community Center-$606.00, and BCHS Football-$600.00.

The Court also approved a refund to the Butler County Sheriff’s Office of $72.22 from the 2014 tax audit. The Butler County Road Department was approved to receive reimbursements of $1907.52 for work done on Reeds Ferry, and $740.30 for work done to the Rochester Ferry. The Court voted 5-0 to issue a check to refund $2,000 to the Barren River Area Health Department for Mosquito spraying. Magistrates also accepted the treasurer’s fourth-quarter financial statement—pending audit, approved the 2015-16 treasurer’s settlement, and agreed to advertise the final settlement.

Limited discussion was had concerning the county road system. Two roads were brought up to have portions of the roads removed from the county system; Green Valley Road in the Second District, and Reeds Road in the Third District. Committees were assigned to view the roads, and public hearings will be held on August 22nd beginning at 4 p.m. to discuss the removal of portions of the roads from the county system.

Jimmy Flener requested that the road to Andrea’s Mission for Women be added to the county system. Flener was advised of the steps he needs to take to start the consideration process, but no action was taken.

The next regular meeting of the Fiscal Court will be Monday, August 8th at 5 p.m. in the upstairs courtroom of the Butler County Courthouse. The Fiscal Court meets on the second and fourth Mondays of each month, and all meetings are open to the public.

Story by Joe K. Morris, Beech Tree News

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