Beech Tree News Network

Butler County Fiscal Court met on Monday, December 8, at the courthouse. Magistrates Kevin Phelps, Allen Smith, David Whittinghill, and Dillon Bryant were in attendance. 

After approving the minutes from previous meetings, the court entered into old business.

The motion to return the Roscoe Taylor Road issue to the floor was made. The road repair in question is in the Fifth District.  The left-hand side of the road is owned by Travis Findley; the right-hand side is owned by Magistrate Dillon Bryant.  The road is a dead-end county road with one house recently built by Findley.  

Road was fixed on Tuesday

Judge/Executive Tim Flener stated that he had told Findley that if he built a house, the county would build a low water crossing on the road.  Bryant said he told Findley they would not build a crossing because the road had been like that for years, there was only one house, and no school bus traveled the road. Bryant had stated in a previous meeting that if they were going to fix this road, the court needed to fix two other crossings in his district. Judge Flener stated that the other two county-maintained roads ended at the water.

After a lengthy discussion, Kevin Phelps made the motion to put a crossing in the road, and David Whittinghill seconded the motion.  Phelps and Whittinghill voted yes, with Bryant and Smith voting no.  Judge Tim Flener broke the tie and voted yes to install a water crossing.  Phelps asked the court to revise the estimate to include rebar and additional materials. The motion was approved.

Next, Deputy Clerk Denise Tarrance presented the 2026 deputies' salaries, as required by law, $285,000, and the 2026 budget of $6,295,100.50.  The 2026 excess fees are estimated to be $204,874.94.

The magistrates were given the boundary survey for Lock and Dam 5 in Butler County.  They gave Judge Flener permission to sign all necessary papers to complete the transaction.

In other business, the court agreed to sell 916 square feet of land to the state for $1,000 for the Panther Creek Bridge Project.  The new bridge will be a 20X70 box beam, with 9-inch concrete curbs and widened lanes. Bid plans are expected in February 2026.

Charlie Tomes, Emergency Management Director, updated the court on requirements by FEMA to repair a box culvert on Dexterville-Oak Ridge Road.  FEMA requires over $33,000 of testing, surveys, plans, and analysis to move forward with the project. The court voted not to move forward due to the additional expenses required.

R & R Electronics proposed a recording fee for the fiscal court meetings: $85 per meeting or $115 per meeting for live stream. The court meets bi-monthly. R & R recorded the current meeting and will allow the magistrates to review the recording prior to making a decision.  Currently, office personnel do the recording.  

The court approved the following additional items:

-Bills and transfers

-R & R retainer $2,000

-Transfer $35,000 from the general fund to the Jail Fund

-Transfer $20,000 from the general fund to the E-911 Fund

-Fifth District VFD report

-AT&T Contract

 -Blanton $650 to remove portable electric hookups for winter storage at Woodbury RV Park

Approved Holiday Closings and 2026 meetings 2026 Holidays and FC Meetings.docx