Meeting of February 28, 2023
2-28-23 Ohio County Fiscal Court Meeting · Watch on YouTube ↗
Summary
Ohio County Fiscal Court – February 28, 2023
The court handled routine business including approval of minutes, bill payments, and a $600 contribution ($100 from each magistrate) to Ohio County High School's senior 'Senior Sunset' event, the renamed version of project graduation.
Several budget items were addressed: a reclassification of budget line items to move CDBG funds into a non-interest-bearing federal grant fund, and an amended budget for the Sheriff's department. Judge-Executive gave a positive preview of the upcoming fiscal year budget, noting a CPI increase of 6.5% for all employees, realistic fuel/utility estimates, no departmental cuts, and a balanced budget — details to be reviewed at a March 14 budget workshop.
The court considered contractor bids for debris removal/river cleanup projects at Sites 4 and 6 under a disaster recovery program. Due to a large discrepancy in bid amounts (particularly for Site 6), the court asked to verify contractor legitimacy before deciding, and voted to reject bids and re-bid or further research the low bidder.
Committee reports covered a proposed county ordinance to allow licensed side-by-side/ATV vehicles on roads countywide (still in draft form), and a proposed 2,500-foot business buffer zone around Beaver Dam and Hartford city limits aimed at regulating commercial appearance near those cities. Both will be considered for formal motions at a future meeting.
Other business included a motion to take bids on resealing the walking trail at Ohio County Park, an update on new voting equipment funded by grant money (with minimal cost to the county), and a request from the Sheriff to fund travel to Washington, D.C. for a memorial ceremony honoring a fallen deputy, Jerry Christmas. The meeting also discussed rescheduling the March 14 meeting time due to an upcoming conference.
Agenda (17)
- 1:29
Approval of Minutes
The court approved the minutes from the February 14th meeting.
- 2:07
Bill Payments and Transfers
The court approved bill payments, claims, and transfers for the period.
- 2:42
Ohio County High School Project Graduation/Senior Sunset
Magistrates each contributed $100 in discretionary funds, totaling $600, to support the high school's senior event, now renamed 'Senior Sunset.'
- 4:36
Budget Amendment Reclassification 2022/2023
Budget amendments were made to move funds previously classified under general fund/economic development into a non-interest-bearing federal grant fund (Fund 07) due to CDBG requirements.
- 5:56
River Debris Removal Bids (Site 4 and Site 6)
The court reviewed multiple contractor bids for debris removal at Site 4 and Site 6 river projects, noting large discrepancies between bids and deciding to research the low bidder before formally accepting.
- 13:54
Sheriff's 2023 Amended Budget
The Sheriff presented an amended budget reflecting reimbursement calculations and other adjustments.
- 15:53
Judge-Executive's Budget Presentation
The Judge-Executive previewed the upcoming budget, highlighting a 6.5% CPI raise for employees, realistic fuel/utility estimates, no cuts to departments, and a balanced budget.
- 19:59
Recognition of Ohio County High School Students
Senior class officers were introduced and thanked the court for its support of the Senior Sunset event and community donations.
- 22:20
Committee Reports
Reports included updates on new election equipment funded through a grant reducing county cost to $840, and other ongoing committee matters.
- 22:30
Election Equipment Update
The County Clerk reported that new voting equipment costing approximately $71,400 was funded almost entirely through a state grant, with the county responsible for only $840 in delivery/setup costs.
- 25:29
District Reports and New Business
Magistrates gave individual district updates including road repairs, storm damage, and requests for improvements.
- 25:49
Walking Trail Sealing Bids
District 1 magistrate requested permission to solicit bids for sealing the walking trail at Ohio County Park, which has not been resealed in over 12 years.
- 27:51
Buffer Zone Ordinance Discussion
A committee proposed a 2,500-foot commercial buffer zone around Beaver Dam and Hartford city limits to regulate business appearance, exempting residential and agricultural uses.
- 28:44
Side-by-Side/ATV Road Use Ordinance Discussion
A committee presented a draft ordinance to allow licensed side-by-side vehicles on county roads, expanding from a single district proposal to a countywide ordinance.
- 40:17
Sheriff's Request for Travel Funding to Washington D.C. Memorial
The Sheriff requested funding for himself and a deputy to attend a national memorial ceremony in Washington D.C. honoring a fallen deputy, Jerry Christmas, with costs covered by the Heroes Board.
- 42:08
Rescheduling Next Meeting Time
The court discussed rescheduling the March 14th meeting to an earlier time due to magistrates needing to leave for a conference.
- 43:38
Adjournment
The meeting was adjourned.
Motions & votes (10)
- 1:39
passedApprove the minutes from the February 14th meeting.
unanimous
- 2:18
passedApprove bill payments, claims, and transfers.
Moved by Larry Murphy · unanimous
- 4:20
passedApprove $600 total contribution to Ohio County High School's senior graduation event.
Moved by Michael McDonald · seconded by Larry Murphy · unanimous
- 5:31
passedApprove budget amendment reclassifying funds to federal grant fund 07.
Moved by Kenneth Callaway · seconded by Michael McKinney · callaway yes morphew yes mckinney yes bennett yes johnson yes
- 12:14
unclearMotion regarding accepting low bid for river debris removal pending research/verification of contractor.
Moved by Kenneth Callaway · seconded by Larry Murphy
- 14:31
passedApprove Sheriff's amended 2023 budget.
Moved by Larry Murphy · seconded by Kenneth Callaway · unanimous
- 26:46
passedMotion to entertain bids for sealing the walking trail at Ohio County Park.
unanimous
- 41:34
unclearMotion to fund Sheriff and Deputy Eskridge's travel to Washington D.C. memorial ceremony for Jerry Christmas.
- 43:23
passedMotion to reschedule the March 14th meeting to an earlier time.
- 43:38
passedMotion to adjourn the meeting.
Transcript (36 segments)
- 0:00
[Music] thank you [Music] it's called this meeting of Ohio County Fiscal Court to order on this 28th day of February 2023 at 5 00 PM I'm going to ask Kenneth Callaway to lead us in a prayer and a pledge to the flag dear God we thank you for this opportunity to be here tonight I pray you give us wisdom and the ability to to make the decisions that need to be made and pray you keep our County in safe and keep us safe this evening you're going to pray amen I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liberty thank you
- 1:12
um before you have the minutes of the uh January what I mean February February 14th of February 14th and uh and uh I need a motion to approve emotionally to approve minutes thank you yeah we have a lot of emotion and a second okay I have motion a second you got it uh any discussion Corrections or additions questions Corrections or additions being none on Thursday ah pose like Signs motion pass before you have the bill payments and transfers you'll need a motion to approve those motion by Larry Murphy in a second uh is there any just any uh discussion
- 2:27
on the bills claims payments of transfers you've got your coffee yeah that's including the language um post like saying okay next thing we have is Ohio County High School Project Graduation is there anybody here to represent that big known what it is every year the Fiscal Court we uh we helped with Project Graduation that's where they do things with the seniors to keep them from getting out and having a big party I guess anyway they have a a deal at the school and uh and they ask us to help them and here's what traditionally happens uh traditionally we each one give something from our discretionary money uh just Jason who can't be here always committed a hundred and I'm committing a hundred so it's up to y'all put you one day from
- 3:41
discretionary he will I'll do the same I will too and so will uh so Larry so that means okay uh I think that's all we needed if you don't mind making a note I guess we go ahead and make a motion that we can I'll make a motion into Fiscal Court we have a total of 600 to the Target graduation okay Michael McDonald second by Larry Murphy uh folks say aye opposed by exam thanks um you have the re-class budget amendment 20 23-2 and 2023-3 um uh and yeah we're just changing account do you want to go ahead and give us a
- 4:53
briefings real quickly when those budget amendments were done it we thought it was for economic development in the general fund since then they are now cdbg and have to be put in a non-interest bearing so they have to be moved to the fund 07 which is for federal grants that will not draw interest so that's the only thing that's changed is to change because general fund to Grant fund do I hear a motion motion by Kenneth Callaway second second by Michael McKinney is there any discussion any discussion being a web uh at the budget and got it broke up Callaway yes morphew yes McKinney yes Bennett yes Johnson yes okay Charlie come on up uh in fact when we've done the river projects we had two projects that we had to re-bid it was site four and site six that's why I came to the court and we wrote the paper and we get for helping kids license
- 6:11
this month yeah go ahead I'll put them here and get one of these guys to read give them the boundary I can do it we also have two representatives of ncrs who's going to help fund us this Brian and Penny there so entire River from streams uh in our County really has a lot of problems and this is a start on it and we appreciate it but it's Sun pulling not only rough but even parts of green you know a lot of our strains leading into them are just completely blocked yeah good good yeah we got a bid from Kyle Addington for the site for the OC
- 7:23
debris removal for 98 400 dollars that's only one side correct okay um here we go that's this one right here let me try this one we've also got one from bee Brock Enterprises um okay we've also got one from bead Brock Enterprises for site four for 135 000. so now those are the same thoughts right it's the same size okay just got two we have a total of four I am foreign ER Disaster Response and Recovery for site four for fifty thousand sixty five dollars but
- 8:38
that's for forty three thousand sixty five for River debris removal 7 000 for seeding and mulching so that's all the ones we have to decide then there's one more for another yeah I've got slides six to be next but that's the ones we got for the circle okay uh and this is technically whose District would this project be in uh Kim did you get those numbers you care to make emotional accepting the bid or do you have questions for the uh who's doing it before you do so let me fill this out there whatever I mean uh site four is it up in your District it's on Plain Ford Road uh the beep Rock Enterprises they're out of uh making Kentucky and I don't know where this horn I think they've done some work for y'all enberg County and the collect and he's a local guy so that's what you have already yeah