Meeting of July 26, 2022
7-26-22 Ohio County Fiscal Court Meeting · Watch on YouTube ↗
Summary
The Ohio County Fiscal Court met on July 26, 2022, and worked through a lengthy routine agenda before turning to several larger discussion items. Standard business — approval of the July 12 minutes, payment of bills and claims, the County Clerk's 2022 financial report, a $19,447 excess-fee refund to the Clerk, the Treasurer's annual statement, a second-reading budget amendment, and the second reading of the 'blue light' ordinance — was approved with little debate.
The court also formally adopted Resolution 2022-A-1, allocating ARP (American Rescue Plan) funds to a list of pre-approved recipients including local fire departments, with a reminder that each department must designate a single authorized purchaser and follow purchasing rules. Annual payroll-setting orders for the County Clerk's and Sheriff's offices (each including a 7% raise) and the health board's tax rate were approved after some discussion of how the raises should be calculated.
A significant chunk of the meeting was spent on road department vehicle matters: Charlie Shields presented options for replacing an emergency management truck, but the court tabled a decision on trading it in versus keeping and selling other vehicles, sending it to the road committee for more numbers. The court did vote to surplus a 2007 Dodge Charger. A road-viewing request to extend county maintenance roughly 750 feet to serve a landowner was discussed at length but not decided, pending research into old road records and cost estimates, again to be revisited at the road committee.
The court approved paying for electrical upgrades to the courthouse (out of remaining ARP-related reserve funds) as the first phase of a broader renovation that will eventually include HVAC and painting work, to be phased in as funds allow. A new hire for a part-time courthouse janitor position was noted.
Residents presented a proposal to explore Kentucky's new off-highway vehicle (side-by-side/ATV) pilot program, and the court agreed to form a committee — including two magistrates and a local law enforcement officer — to study which roads might be designated for such use and report back. The judge also updated the court on ongoing multi-county discussions (with Butler and Edmonson counties) about a possible regional jail facility, and a magistrate raised concerns about road department employees having to front their own money for parts, suggesting a controlled purchasing card as a possible fix.
Agenda (18)
- 1:19
Approval of July 12 meeting minutes
The court approved the minutes from the July 12 meeting without corrections.
- 1:48
Bills, claims, payments and transfers
The court approved payment of bills, claims, and transfers, including a late list with two items.
- 2:20
County Clerk's 2022 financial report
The court acknowledged the County Clerk's 2022 financial report as true.
- 2:50
Clerk's excess fees refund
The court acknowledged the Clerk's excess fees and approved a refund of $19,447 to the Ohio County Clerk for an overpayment.
- 3:50
Treasurer's annual statement
The treasurer's annual statement, previously left off the agenda, was added and acknowledged by the court.
- 4:21
Budget amendment 2022-31 (second reading)
The court passed the second reading of a routine budget amendment required at the start of each fiscal year to move funds.
- 5:00
Ordinance 2022-26 'blue light' ordinance (second reading)
The court approved the second reading of the blue light ordinance.
- 6:13
Resolution 2022-A-1: ARP funds proposal
The court passed a resolution allocating American Rescue Plan funds to a pre-approved list of recipients, including fire departments, each required to designate an authorized purchaser and follow purchase order rules.
- 8:41
Clerk's annual order setting payroll amounts
The court discussed and approved the County Clerk's annual payroll order, including a 7% raise calculated on employees' actual current pay rather than base rate.
- 13:26
Sheriff's annual order setting amounts
The court approved the Sheriff's annual order setting payroll amounts.
- 14:00
Health board tax rate
The court approved keeping the health board tax rates the same as the previous year.
- 15:15
Emergency management vehicle purchase and truck surplus
Charlie Shields presented pricing on a new emergency management truck bed and discussed trading in or surplusing existing vehicles; the court tabled the decision for the road committee to gather more numbers.
- 23:17
Road viewing committee report on 750-foot road extension request
The viewing committee reported on a landowner's request to extend county road maintenance roughly 750 feet; legal and historical questions about whether it was ever an accepted county road were unresolved, and the matter was sent back for further research.
- 29:46
Personnel: courthouse janitor hire
The judge reported hiring Elijah Barnard as part-time courthouse janitor at $12.12/hour via executive order, noting the position had been vacant for about two months and was budgeted.
- 32:19
Courthouse electrical, HVAC, and painting improvements
The coroner presented bids for courthouse electrical (~$12,960) and HVAC (~$12,800) upgrades and discussed painting; the court approved doing the electrical work first, funded from remaining reserves, with other phases to follow as funds allow.
- 39:35
Off-highway vehicle (OHV) pilot program proposal
Residents led by Sarah Coons asked the court to consider Kentucky's new off-highway vehicle pilot program allowing designated county roads for side-by-sides and ATVs; the court agreed to form a committee, including two magistrates and a law enforcement representative, to research feasibility and report back.
- 48:06
Regional jail committee report
The judge reported on a meeting with Butler County officials about a possible tri-county regional jail, including a state official's interest in selling or leasing the old boys' camp property; discussions remain preliminary.
- 50:59
Road department purchasing card discussion
Magistrate Joe Barnes raised concerns about a road department employee fronting his own money for parts purchased online, suggesting a controlled credit card system; the court discussed prior card-fraud problems and agreed to look into safer alternatives.
Motions & votes (14)
- 1:19
passedApprove the minutes of the July 12 meeting
Moved by Joe Barnes · seconded by Larry Murphy
- 1:48
passedApprove payment of bills, claims, payments and transfers including the late list
seconded by Larry Murphy
- 2:21
passedAcknowledge the County Clerk's 2022 financial report
Moved by Joe Barnes · seconded by Larry Murphy
- 3:15
passedPay refund of $19,447 to the Ohio County Clerk for excess fees overpayment
Moved by Jason Bullock · seconded by Joe Barnes
- 4:02
passedAcknowledge the Treasurer's annual statement
- 4:21
passedApprove second reading of budget amendment 2022-31
Moved by Larry Camp · seconded by Jason Bullock
- 5:40
passedApprove second reading of ordinance 2022-26, the blue light ordinance
Moved by Joe Barnes · seconded by Larry Camp
- 6:15
passedPass Resolution 2022-A-1 allocating ARP funds to pre-approved recipients
- 8:41
passedApprove the County Clerk's annual order setting payroll amounts, including a 7% raise
- 13:32
passedApprove the Sheriff's annual order setting payroll amounts
Moved by Jason Bullock · seconded by Joe Barnes
- 14:20
passedAccept the health board tax rate, keeping it the same as the prior year
Moved by Larry King
- 20:12
tabledTable the discussion of the emergency management truck purchase/trade-in to the road committee meeting
- 22:27
unclearSurplus a 2007 Dodge Charger two-door sedan
Moved by Jason Bullock · seconded by Joe Barnes
- 37:35
passedFund the electrical upgrade to the courthouse as the first phase of renovations, paid from upcoming reserves
Moved by Larry Camp
Transcript (45 segments)
- 0:00
[Music] thank you [Music] five years College may go high came physical Court uh daughter on July 26 2022 at 5 pm I'm gonna have Jared Camp if he would to lead us in a prayer and pledge and play if you're having fun what we're thinking for us today we thank you for this day everything you're doing Lord thank you for the Full House here tonight Lord uh Community coming out together Florida to be with us goddess give us strength and we thank you for everything you're doing in Christ's name amen amen 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 individual liberty and justice for Allah [Music]
- 1:12
before you have the minutes of the July 12 meeting need a motion to approve make emotions motion by Joe Barnes second say goodbye Larry Murphy uh is there any discussion Corrections or additions discussions Corrections or additions being none unfortunately I I folks like I said Minister our pads before you have the bills claim payments and transfers including late last cam for a second second by Larry Murphy discussion just two items on the late list for three huh okay [Music] any further discussions [Music] okay okay the bills and claims are paid uh you have the uh County Clerk's 2022 financial report make a motion to
- 2:26
acknowledge motion but Joe Barnes did not receive second second by Larry Murphy is there any discussion being none of folks say I I post like son that reports are true [Music] yeah okay we also they have the clerks excess fees for reimbursement to make a motion of knowledge motion with Joe Barnes we need to approve this I'll make a motion to approve is it is it the 194.47 I'll make a motion to pay I guess refund best or Ohio County Clerk 194.47 motion by Jason Bullock second with Joe boner what happened there since you overpaid just in there by bookkeeper [Music] um post like the time
- 3:41
they were not paying any interest though we also was off of the agenda but we're going to include the treasures annual statement which y'all got a copy of annual reviews yes okay motion blurry okay motion to acknowledge right yes I'll second say come back but in Jacksonville um Pope lifetime we have acknowledged that we've got that report [Music] um we're the budget amendment 2023-1 this is second reading this is something that always has to be done at the first of the fiscal year motion Blair cam it's just the second I'm not moving all the funds here okay Jason yeah second second Jason bull any further discussion on that since it's an ordinance Road call it Miranda yes okay we have the second reading of
- 5:01
ordinance 20 22-6 the blue light ordinances are called it is the second reading that I've already read in the morning and uh so anyway a motion to do that motion of Joe Barnes sorry second by large cam any discussions [Music] morphew [Music] yes [Music] [Music] uh
- 6:13
next we have a resolution 20 23 a dash one The Arc of funds proposal as you have a copy of it and uh several folks here to hear about that tonight so motion blur okay this is yeah second for discussion second video discussion so the list we have in front of us is that where we're standing in line okay and all these will be funded good yes sir all you have to do is come in with them yeah you have to give us a treasure on how it can be spent if any departments are here uh you you have to to get purchase orders for anything you're buying and get that to that to that number that you're so the match you're awarded is expanded for some reason though the fire department saying things are going to come up before some of these other ones now these are all kinds this whole list is going to be fund is that right yeah this is ready to be fun it's already been yeah okay so it's not going to be going down the list like because when we pass this tonight all these are
- 7:30
grounded yes the only thing I'd like to point out is uh especially with the fire departments and the other entities is there's I hate to say the word contract but there's just an agreement for them to sign stating that they're going to follow the rules uh I would like to make note that whoever signs that that's the only person that can call and order something I had some issues before with somebody else wanting to call and their name wasn't on it and there was something has any of that already been communicated it well-being since this has passed I'll send it out you just want to designate an individual yes only one yes well for each fire department right yes if they get something over 30 000 it has to be interested isn't that stated in the agreement block yes Barn yes [Music] okay uh we have the clerks [Music] of annual order setting amounts
- 8:41
[Music] correct their payroll accounts do you need emotions yeah yes okay I'm sorry I was talking about motion malaria what are we doing your order okay I'm sorry I was weird we still need a second I'm looking but I can't this is motion just on the clerks right so this is yeah I'll shake it shaking my life well we got that up and I have I have a question on that seven yes so how do we do that administrator to all the employees was it based on what they actually make or again or the base race are you talking about the clerk's employees or all the others get everybody Clark and Sharon were allowed to set their payroll whatever they wanted we just put seven percent in your budget right on all other County Employees under the judge's office at seven it was seven percent based on what they actually make at the time yes yes okay it's not based on the base rate for that position you're talking about the road department