Meeting of September 12, 2023
9-12-23 Ohio County Fiscal Court Meeting · Watch on YouTube ↗
Summary
Ohio County Fiscal Court – September 12, 2023
The court handled a slate of routine business, approving minutes, bills and claims, the treasurer's and clerk's financial reports, and the sheriff's property tax settlement. The road department surplused two military-style generators, part of the county's ongoing practice of selling used equipment when new trucks are purchased.
A major item was the second reading and adoption of Ordinance 2023-2, a refinancing/reimbursement ordinance extending existing debt terms for another several years; the court voted unanimously (roll call) to approve it.
The court also authorized paying half (about $150,000) of a roughly $300,000 invoice to Warren Rural Electric to begin installing a new power line to serve the Bluegrass Crossings industrial site, funded through a combination of a $300,000 grant, TVA/IDA contributions, and county reserve funds committed earlier. Magistrates discussed the need for additional power capacity in the future and possible additional federal funding to expand the project.
Personnel and administrative items included acknowledging the extension office's tax rate (which stayed at the compensating rate), hiring a seasonal golf course attendant, and accepting a new subdivision road (Salem Road, near Horse Branch) for county maintenance, with a viewing committee appointed. The court also created two new committees: a Broadband Committee to investigate the status of state-funded broadband rollout, and a Road Right-of-Way/Vegetation Management Committee to look at roadside mowing and spraying options, including possibly acquiring a farmer with plant knowledge. An HVAC committee reported ongoing work on quotes for the courthouse building's heating/cooling system.
Other business included adding a water line extension project on Herbert Road to the county's project list (estimated cost about $22,414), and various committee and community updates, including reminders about the county fair and an upcoming distillery grand opening. The meeting closed with no further business.
Agenda (18)
- 0:03
Call to order, prayer and pledge
Judge executive opened the meeting and Magistrate Callaway led the prayer and pledge of allegiance.
- 1:00
Approval of August 22nd minutes
The court reviewed and approved the minutes from the previous meeting with no corrections.
- 1:32
Approval of bills, claims, transfers
The court approved payment of bills, claims and transfers not including liquids.
- 2:04
Treasurer's August 2023 financial report
The court acknowledged receipt of the treasurer's monthly financial report.
- 2:35
Clerk's August financial statement
The court acknowledged the county clerk's financial statement for August.
- 3:19
Sheriff's property tax settlement
The court approved pending action on the sheriff's property tax settlement.
- 3:51
Road department equipment surplus
Two military-style generators from the road department were declared surplus as part of the annual practice of trading in equipment when a new truck is bought.
- 5:40
Ordinance 2023-2 second reading
The court approved the second reading of the reimbursement/refinancing ordinance with no changes from the first reading, via unanimous roll call vote.
- 7:29
Bluegrass Crossings power line project payment
Christina presented an invoice from Warren Rural Electric requiring a 50% upfront payment (~$150,000) to begin construction of a new power line to the Bluegrass Crossings site, funded via grant and reserve funds committed earlier.
- 11:32
Extension office tax rate acknowledgment
The court acknowledged the extension office's tax rate, which stayed at the compensating rate (slightly lower than before).
- 12:42
Personnel: golf course seasonal hire
The court approved hiring a seasonal golf course attendant at $13.50/hour beginning September 3, 2023.
- 13:52
Salem Road subdivision acceptance
Property owner Wilbur Jones requested the county take in a road serving a new subdivision on Salem Road near Horse Branch; a viewing committee was appointed.
- 15:12
Committee reports and appointments
New Broadband Committee and Road Right-of-Way/Vegetation Management Committee were formed; HVAC committee reported ongoing quote gathering for the courthouse building.
- 22:54
Discussion of mowing equipment and contract mowing
Magistrates discussed problems with previously purchased mowing tractors and debated whether to buy new equipment or contract out mowing, referencing neighboring county practices.
- 25:02
Herbert Road water line extension
Kenneth presented a quote of about $22,414 for a water line extension on Herbert Road; the court voted to add the project to the priority list.
- 26:22
Magistrate updates and new business
Each magistrate gave brief district updates, including reminders about the Ohio County Fair and other community events.
- 28:22
Citizen comments
A citizen reminded the court of the upcoming distillery grand opening on October 18th and invited county officials to attend.
- 29:20
Adjournment
With no further business, the meeting was adjourned.
Motions & votes (13)
- 1:06
passedApprove the minutes of the August 22nd meeting
seconded by Michael McKinney
- 1:32
passedApprove bills, claims and transfers
Moved by Michael McKinney · seconded by Bo Murphy
- 2:17
passedAcknowledge treasurer's August 2023 financial report
Moved by Jason · seconded by Bo Murphy
- 2:47
passedAcknowledge clerk's August financial statement
seconded by Kent Callaway
- 3:34
passedApprove sheriff's property tax settlement
seconded by Jason Bullock
- 5:29
passedSurplus two military generators from road department
seconded by Bullock
- 5:54
passedAccept second reading of Ordinance 2023-2 reimbursement
seconded by Larry Morgan · unanimous roll call: Johnston yes, Callaway yes, Markey yes, Kenny yes, Bullock yes, Bennett yes
- 10:01
passedAuthorize payment of 50% upfront ($150,000 of $300,000 total) to Warren Rural Electric for Bluegrass Crossings power line project
Moved by Michael
- 12:02
passedAcknowledge extension office qualified/compensating tax rate
seconded by Kent Callaway
- 12:42
unclearApprove hiring of seasonal golf course attendant
- 14:49
unclearTake in Salem Road subdivision and appoint viewing committee
Moved by Larry Murphy
- 26:02
passedAdd Herbert Road water line extension project to priority list
seconded by Miranda
- 29:20
passedAdjourn the meeting
Transcript (24 segments)
- 0:01
[Music] thank you I call this meeting Aloha County Fiscal Court to order on this 12th day of September 2023 at 5 pm I'm going to ask Callaway of Hill lead us in a prayer and pledge the flag dear God we thank you for this day you give them to us at this opportunity to be here tonight please guide us as we make decisions and give us the wisdom we need you dream of 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 and justice for all before you have the minutes of the August 22nd meeting in a motion to approve second take him back Michael McKinney is there any discussion Corrections or additions is there any discussion directions or dishes clothes like so
- 1:18
motion pass before you have the bills claim payments and transfers not including any liquids I made a motion to pray I'll make a motion to approve bills and claims Thank You by Michael McKinney second below morphine uh is there any discussion is there any discussion bang down on Facebook like saying the bills and claims the claims of transfers are approved um you have it for you the treasures August 2023 financial report we just need to acknowledge that makes most of our novice of treasures Jake motion with Jason back in say below more for you any discussion or questions for the treasure being none on Facebook I I post like saying okay you have the clerks uh
- 2:36
August financial statement in front of me maybe Saints same way make a motion technology receipt most with Kent Calloway take them up open is there any discussion on the Curtis side being now our folks say aye both like signs okay Sheriff's property tax Settlements a little different we need to prove that in pending uh instead of the same with God motion yes I'll second with Jason Bullock is there any discussion [Music] I'm sorry
- 3:51
well it's just two generators I have on the portal I've already put the VIN numbers in there they're two military generators I believe and they just need them to just like are those in the packet yeah I just have two band members with it okay VIN number and uh according to uh Charlie they're not they're more left on these parts what are they that we're bit we're military generators military generals it's just those two items yes Galloway segmentation bullet it's doing discussion and all you have to share numbers you don't have a a description just military generation so um the generators are Surplus the surplus of the road department is every year you know we buy a brand new Mack truck and we sell our oven well we have to Surplus
- 5:04
it over to seven so that's what that's all about the new Mac Truck usually make a little money on it though last year we made really good money and usually at least for our games and you have a new truck all the time that way so I hear motion second with Kim Callaway is there any discussion okay being there on Thursday motion carries uh before you have ordinance 2024-2 reimbursement second reading the last meeting you approved the first reading of it that was the reinforcement that we have to do everything there's no changes so I'll make a motion to accept ordinance uh 20 24-2 second reading most of the Jason blue okay second to Larry Morgan he's doing discussion want to do this again for 10 more years we're good for another eight eight are you getting one yeah um first yeah all right I'm sorry I
- 6:18
wrote College Awards yeah I'm sorry Johnston yes Callaway yes Mark you yes hi Kenny yes Bullock yes Bennett yes it's approved the first and second reading you okay I'm sorry did you say something uh I just said we need to get back inside yeah um Jason Chen's on the agenda here and he said Calvin a blade he passed sound pretty it looks like it sounded pretty sick Christina's ill too but she she uh pulled herself in here anyway she's going to tell us what the Ann's familiar with what we need to do here too stay over there I know right and then had I had it last week and just for to remind you there was here then and the ones that are new that don't know what this is about we agree put a new power line into the Bluegrass Crossings the court voted
- 7:32
unanimously backed into doing and uh now then it's time to pay the bill so Christine you're up all righty so uh first things first I have an invoice from uh Warren Road electric and this is for the total project cost but then up here at the top it says an upfront payment at 50 is required to initiate this project so I was wanting to come before you all today to see if y'all could go ahead and authorize that I believe that Jason's been speaking with Ann to make sure that we are positioned well with our accounts and have the money on hand so we need uh so go ahead and pay 50 of this to get it started um I have the invoice here and then uh on the back side I have a project timeline there's only one thing that we're a little bit concerned about and it is the uh switch I guess we have there's like a um a national shortage right now so all the work will be done and we'll just be waiting on the actual
- 8:46
part to get back and uh and then we'll be we'll have an extended circuit out there and it's three hundred thousand foot me now we can't explain to them that Michael is that can we kind of explain them where the money came from this project there was a grad a grant for 300 000 and the oh and uh what's it called the TVA made the PDI was 100 Ida so Ida I'm sorry exactronyms sometimes it's hard to remember all of them the ID 8 Grand 150 and this court committed to 150 back into that we use that we use the uh what part of money do we use even even Larry voted for it let me see but where did we get it came from one of the federal yeah they had our 115 yeah uh it's been held in reserves for like two years uh in our Surplus money like two years ago with uh PL then restricted it was part of it was a grant and yeah yeah and so I need a motion to pay that I'll make the motion authorizing hand to pay the check