Meeting of December 17, 2024
12-17-24 Ohio County Fiscal Court Meeting · Watch on YouTube ↗
Summary
Ohio County Fiscal Court – December 17, 2024
The court handled a series of routine year-end items: approving November minutes, paying bills and claims, acknowledging the treasurer's and clerk's financial statements, and taking the first reading of a budget amendment that moves roughly $620,000 of remaining ARPA/ARP funds into the county's ARC program account. The sheriff's and clerk's 2025 annual budgets and salary amendments were also approved, and several old vehicles (two Dodge Durangos, a Ram, a Ford Crown Victoria, and a Ford Escape with a bad transmission) were declared surplus so the sheriff's office can sell them through GovDeals.
The Industrial Development Authority gave its annual report, noting that TVA-in-lieu-of-tax money has funded the county's water district debt service, a local magazine, tourism, Bluegrass Crossings infrastructure, and an electrical project with Warren RECC. The road committee reported strong results from auctioning an old dump truck, which sold for more than its original cost.
The bulk of the meeting was devoted to public comment on a proposed solar farm (Horse Martin Loop/prime farmland areas). Numerous residents spoke passionately against the project, citing concerns about property values, fire/chemical hazards, wildlife and water contamination, inadequate setbacks, and a rushed, non-transparent approval process. They criticized the court for amending the original solar ordinance to remove protections for prime farmland and for approving a memorandum of agreement (MOA) with the solar company under a tight deadline. Magistrates and the judge acknowledged the concerns, explained the state permitting process still ahead, and pledged to look into whether the company met its own payment deadlines and to consider revisiting setback and farmland provisions before the project advances to the state level.
In other business, the court went into closed session to discuss personnel and possible litigation, taking no votes there, and afterward approved junking an old EMS vehicle frame. The sheriff's office requested funding for an additional patrol vehicle due to accidents and high mileage on the fleet; the court did not commit funds but agreed to look into the possibility and voted to advertise for bids on a new vehicle in case funding becomes available. A road committee meeting was scheduled before the January 14 session to discuss a specific road/bridge issue. The meeting adjourned with holiday greetings.
Agenda (16)
- 1:19
Approval of November 19 minutes
The court approved the minutes from the November 19 meeting after brief discussion about ARPA/ARC funds.
- 4:40
Bills, claims and transfers
The court approved payment of bills, claims, and transfers including the late list.
- 5:11
Treasurer's November 2024 financial statement
The court acknowledged receipt of the treasurer's November 2024 financial statement.
- 5:47
Budget amendment first reading (ARC program funds)
First reading of an ordinance amending the budget to move about $620,000 in remaining ARPA funds into the ARC program; second reading set for January 14.
- 8:44
Clerk's November 2024 financial statement
The court acknowledged the county clerk's November 2024 financial statement.
- 9:06
Sheriff's salary order amendment
The court approved an amendment to the sheriff's annual order setting salaries to reflect raises agreed at a prior meeting.
- 10:31
Sheriff's 2025 budget approval
The court approved the sheriff's 2025 budget.
- 11:32
Clerk's 2025 budget approval
The court approved the county clerk's 2025 budget, noting clerk and sheriff budgets run on a calendar year while the court's fiscal year differs.
- 12:30
Surplus vehicles - sheriff's fleet
The court declared several sheriff's department vehicles (two Durangos, a Ram, and a Crown Victoria) surplus for sale via GovDeals.
- 14:33
Surplus vehicle - Ford Escape
An additional vehicle, a 2011 Ford Escape with a bad transmission, was declared surplus for sale.
- 16:18
IDA annual report
The Industrial Development Authority presented its annual report on TVA in-lieu-of-tax funds, covering water debt service payments, Warren RECC electrical project funding, and tourism/Bluegrass Crossings allocations.
- 21:26
Public comment on proposed solar farm
Numerous residents spoke against a proposed solar farm near Horse Martin Loop, raising concerns about hazards, property values, setbacks, and the rushed approval process; magistrates responded and discussed possible renegotiation before state permitting proceeds.
- 56:51
Closed session - personnel and possible litigation
The court went into closed session to discuss personnel matters and possible litigation, taking no votes during the session itself.
- 57:23
Junking of old EMS vehicle frame
The court authorized junking of an old EMS Ford E350 frame.
- 58:36
Committee reports
Road committee reported successful truck auction proceeds; other committees reported meetings canceled that week; health coalition update given on annual community event funding.
- 1:03:59
Sheriff's request for additional patrol vehicle
The sheriff's office asked the court to consider funding one more patrol vehicle due to accidents and high mileage on existing cars; court agreed to consider it and advertise for bids.
Motions & votes (14)
- 1:28
passedApprove November 19 minutes
Moved by Michael (McKinney) · seconded by Kenny
- 4:48
passedApprove bills, claims and transfers including late list
Moved by Jason Bullock · seconded by Michael McKinney
- 5:16
passedAcknowledge treasurer's November 2024 financial statement
Moved by Larry · seconded by Jason
- 6:40
passedFirst reading of budget amendment moving ARPA funds to ARC program
Moved by Jason Bull · unanimous
- 8:51
passedAcknowledge clerk's November 2024 financial statement
Moved by Michael McKinney · seconded by Jason Bull
- 9:44
passedAmend sheriff's salary order for raises
Moved by Bullet · seconded by Michael McKinney
- 10:39
passedApprove sheriff's 2025 budget
seconded by Valar
- 11:39
passedApprove clerk's 2025 budget
Moved by Jason · seconded by Dale or Larry
- 13:09
passedDeclare four sheriff's vehicles surplus for sale on GovDeals
seconded by Larry
- 15:23
passedDeclare 2011 Ford Escape surplus for sale on GovDeals
Moved by Larry · seconded by Michael
- 20:29
passedAccept IDA annual report
- 56:54
passedReturn to open meeting after closed session
- 57:23
passedJunk old EMS Ford E350 frame and authorize disposal of title
Moved by Michael McKinney
- 1:08:01
passedAdvertise for bid on new patrol vehicle in case funding becomes available
Transcript (56 segments)
- 0:01
[Music] call this meeting of Ohio County Fiscal Court to order uh at uh 4:30 on December the 17 2024 um I'm going to ask Michael would you do the prayer and pledge flag if you would byow your head please heard me father thank you for this day many blessings that you sto upon us look at all the families this Christmas and be with those that are less fortunate be with the Fiscal Court in this County as we do the things that we feel like are in best interest of those around us be with our governing bodies the state and at the presidential level and be with all those going into this holiday and under their travels these things we ask in your name amen amen I pledge ALG to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God
- 1:15
indivisible jce for [Music] guys you have before you the uh the November 19th minutes nether motion approve I make motion to approve motion by m m Kenny I'll St second second B is there any questions question I got a [Music] question and on the opening the bank account for for the arch program how much was deposited in that um well it's it won't be till after you all approve it but if you look on the late list the balance um I believe it's 600 it's the 20 the 182 and the 435 is over 600,000 it's how much over [Music] 600,000 I think it's on um yeah page
- 2:30
three or four four maybe count the first page 638,000 thank you J I'm sorry six how much $638,000 okay and uh oh okay it's down here at the bottom I see it how much in uh August of 23rd of 24 we passed a resolution for the American Rescue plan to put what was left I've got that at home Summers but I can't find it do you know how much that was no I don't to go back and look can but you can find it for me probably not because it's a it's a moving Target because we budgeted so much for um let me think of one that didn't use it we budgeted so much for fire departments and if they didn't use it all then that number changes from last August yeah but it was supposed to be what was left yeah it's supposed to be what's left at the
- 3:45
end whenever that was passed you still had the sheriff's deputy being paid from there you still had fire departments that still got payouts um it it hadn't all stopped it says all remaining unobligated funds as a 42324 will be obligated to the arch program that's $638,000 okay plus after we do this budget amendment it'll be another 190 that'll go in there 190 yeah but we have to do a budget amendment which as you know requires two readings just go put pretty good shap yeah all right anybody else got anything no I fa say I I poos like sign pass in front of you you have the bills claim payments and transfers I need a motion to approve that make a motion to approve motion M Jason bullet including the late list yeah second second by Michael mck any discussion on the bills claim payments and transfer there any
- 5:00
discussion B none all in favor say I post like sign the bills are paid you have the treasures November 2024 financial statement uh we need to acknowledge that we receive that knowledge okay get Larry and then Jason second that's okay Jason yeah I I'm sorry I didn't hear you no they talking the same time exactly okay any discussion thing say I post like passes this is going to be the first reading on the budget amendments uh that we're talking about ordinance made in second reading need that is that's the three things on page four and uhhuh okay that's the balance yeah and uh we need a motion a
- 6:14
second Larry it has on the bottom of um this page here the amount in the end that's actually getting moved to the arch program is 620 I se I okay we have a motion this is the first read I'll make a motion motion by Jason bull I have a second second second M second for discussion if yes yeah any any discussion not it's a ordinance so we got to do a roll call Miranda so is this the is this the first $20,000 that's that first payment we going yes Johnston yes morphew sorry yes B yes that come out of the general fund right the 20 no it it it it it came out
- 7:27
of ARS is it well well all the money from arpa that was left was moved to the general fund so now then that 20,000 is in the general fund M [Music] yes was that unanimous so the second reading will be at the next meeting which is uh January the what 14th I believe 7 January 14th 14th okay second for Tuesday okay be be January 14th we got on January 7th on our court thing here well just CL I my head could it be okay never mind no I believe it could be no it's not I knew it in my head s us a calendar for the year8 we'll deal with it later it is 14th it is 14th okay uh we have the
- 8:42
clerks uh November 2024 financial statement she's not here but we need to acknowledge that we got it make motion motion by Michael mckin second is acknowledgement second by Jason bull uh any discussion being none I'll I POS like sign motion [Music] carry uh next you have the sheriff's annual order setting salaries and I believe you actually approve this it's amend an amendment it's Amendment Amendment but we approve his amendment is that just what we uh yeah this is just to amend the raises that given that we added to it the first the last meeting judge well we did part of it but this is we have to amend his we agreed to do it now we got to do it I'll I'll make a motion to motion motion bullet second second by Michael mcken any further discussion being none all in favor say I oos like sign motion carries uh you say this