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Ohio County Fiscal Court

Meeting of May 28, 2024

5-28-24 Ohio County Fiscal Court Meeting · Watch on YouTube ↗

Summary

Ohio County Fiscal Court – May 28, 2024

The court opened with a prayer and pledge, then quickly acted on paperwork needed to keep a recreation grant application moving — approving the application for the walking trail at the Ohio County park and adding the football field project to it. Routine business followed: the May 14 minutes and the bills/claims/transfers were approved after some pointed questions about transfers within the Sheriff's budget and a costly monthly website/security service (Golden Shovel) used by the OA office.

The court gave first reading to several changes to the county's administrative code, most notably a new longevity pay structure (a quarter-per-hour raise every 5 years instead of lump-sum bonuses at 5 and 10 years) and a rule aligning part-time benefit eligibility with the 24-hour/week threshold used by the state's health insurance program. The court also acknowledged receipt of the Sheriff's first quarterly financial report and appointed Jason Chin to fill a vacancy on the Board of Assessment and Appeals.

The Jail Committee recommended switching the jail's television provider to save about $50/month while meeting state recreation requirements for inmates; the court approved the switch. Representatives of the Chartville VFW/American Legion Post asked for help with operating costs and scholarship funding, and the court voted to donate $2,500 (magistrates each contributing $500 from discretionary funds) and authorized a check to be written.

Much of the meeting was spent revisiting the long-stalled Chartville area water line project. A letter from Julie Bickers of the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority was read again, confirming that grant funds (roughly $800,000+) cannot be redirected but that additional funding could be sought if a shortfall is identified. The core problem remains that the local water district does not want to take on an estimated $112,000/year ongoing cost (largely for line flushing, given too few potential customers/meters) to extend service. Magistrates debated hiring an engineer directly, meeting again with the water board, and the broader economic-development argument for running water to a large undeveloped tract of land. No final resolution was reached; Larry raised a motion to move forward using existing grant funds, but it did not come to a clear vote and the topic was tabled for further work with the water board.

For residents, the practical takeaways are: a modest new committee-driven improvement to jail TV services, small pay-structure and benefits tweaks for county employees, a $2,500 donation to the local VFW/American Legion, and continued delay — but ongoing effort — toward bringing public water service to the Chartville/Cool Springs area.

Agenda (12)

  • 0:15

    Call to order, prayer and pledge

    Judge Johnson called the meeting to order and Mayor Wright led a prayer and the Pledge of Allegiance.

  • 1:17

    Grant application for walking trail and football field

    The court discussed and approved moving forward with paperwork for a recreation grant covering a walking trail at the Ohio County park, later expanded to include the football field project.

  • 2:04

    Approval of May 14 meeting minutes

    A magistrate raised concerns about not receiving minutes ahead of meetings; the minutes were nonetheless approved.

  • 3:29

    Bills, claims, payments and transfers

    Magistrates questioned transfers involving the Sheriff's payroll/phone budget and a costly recurring website/security monitoring charge for the OA office before approving the bills and claims.

  • 8:44

    First reading of Ordinance 2024-06 (administrative code changes)

    The court reviewed proposed changes to the administrative code, including a new longevity pay structure and aligning part-time benefit eligibility with the state's 24-hour rule, and passed first reading.

  • 13:58

    Sheriff's first quarterly report

    The court acknowledged receipt of the Sheriff's unaudited first quarterly report.

  • 14:56

    Board of Assessment and Appeals appointment

    With a vacancy on the board, the court appointed Jason Chin to fill the position.

  • 15:11

    Jail Committee report on television service

    Magistrate Michael reported the jail committee's recommendation to switch TV providers to save about $50/month while meeting state recreation requirements, which the court approved.

  • 18:00

    OCC letter on director job description

    A magistrate mentioned an upcoming letter from OCC that will change job description requirements for a director position, to be discussed further once received.

  • 18:55

    Chartville water project update

    A letter from Julie Bickers of the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority was read again regarding grant funding restrictions; magistrates debated the water district's refusal to proceed due to an estimated $112,000/year ongoing cost and discussed possible next steps including hiring an engineer directly.

  • 19:59

    VFW/American Legion Post request for assistance

    Representatives from the Chartville VFW/American Legion Post requested financial help for operating costs and scholarship funding; the court agreed to donate $2,500 from discretionary funds.

  • 47:22

    Adjournment

    The court adjourned, with magistrates noting continued efforts on the water project and announcing the next meeting date.

Motions & votes (11)

  • 1:26

    passedAccept the recycling/recreation grant application process for the walking trail at the Ohio County park, and add the football field project to it

    all in favor

  • 2:11

    passedApprove the May 14, 2024 fiscal court meeting minutes

    Moved by Bo Bennett · seconded by Jackson Bullock · unanimous, all in favor

  • 3:38

    passedApprove payment of bills, claims and transfers

    Moved by Michael · seconded by Jason · unanimous, all in favor

  • 11:38

    passedPass first reading of administrative code changes (Ordinance 2024-06), including longevity pay restructuring and part-time benefits threshold

    Moved by Jason · roll call: Moore yes, McKinney yes, Bullock yes, Bennett yes, Johnson yes

  • 14:12

    passedAcknowledge receipt of the Sheriff's first quarterly report

    Moved by Jon Bullock · seconded by Bo Bennett · all in favor

  • 14:57

    passedAppoint Jason Chin to the Board of Assessment and Appeals

    roll call: McKinney yes, Bullock yes, Bennett yes, Johnston yes

  • 16:41

    passedChange the jail's television service provider per the jail committee's recommendation to save costs while meeting state recreation requirements

    Moved by Michael · all in favor

  • 23:49

    passedDonate $2,500 (magistrates' discretionary funds) to the VFW/American Legion Post

    seconded by Bo

  • 24:27

    passedAuthorize the check to be written to the VFW/American Legion Post

  • 26:25

    unclearMove forward using existing grant funds (~$800,000) to proceed with the Chartville water line project

    Moved by Larry

  • 47:22

    passedAdjourn the meeting

Transcript (39 segments)

  • 0:00

    [Music] they are then we moved them back down there then we moved them back when I came here call this me go I Came Fiscal Court to order on this 28th day of May 2024 at 5:00 P p.m. um I'm going to ask mayor Wright to lead us in a prayer and pledge the flag please bow your heads dear heavenly father please be with everybody over the weekend here is the devastating times please be with the leaders here in Ohio County please forgive us of our sins and we are going to get through everything that we encounter together amen I pledge allegiance to the FL of the United States of America to the which it stands one na God indivisible Justice um since we're here let's go ahead and address this uh Grant uh we

  • 1:14

    need a motion to allow the uh uh application to go forward for me to sign the uh paperwork i' like to make a motion to accept the uh the process of reiring grant for the walking trail at the Ohio County Park I'll second as motion to allow the gr process and can you add the other one in there too Mike and if we can do that I'd like to add the football field project as well we have a motion second any more discussion on favor say like pass um next you have before you the uh May 14th uh meeting am minutes I need motion to approve motion by Bo Bennett second second by Jackson bulock uh is there any discussion correction or additions I got a question yes why can I not get the minutes when I

  • 2:27

    pick up my packet the frety before the court meeting you can I guess it's just not printed yeah usually but Miranda was out that day this is the third time I mean I try to I've asked for them I like to get them on Friday get everything bills claims well they're usually done two days at the latest two days after our fiscal P so they are always available well let's try to get them print but I pick it up for me and uh I just like to go over it you know we're got a pretty good decide what $24 million budget judge we deal with almost 25 yes and I like to have the bills and claims and minutes and everything go over with weekend before so I know what we're V on well we'll take we'll TR best get that down okay to go with the other P all in favor say I I post like sign the minutes are passed next you have before you the bills claims payments and transfers motion to approve [Music] those no no l no late no super I'd like to make a motion to pass bills of claims transfer second his motion motion by

  • 3:42

    Michael Second Jason got uh any discussion I got some questions okay what is this uh out of uh Sheriff payroll into the phone and out of golf payroll into the are you talking about the transfers yeah 15,000 uh on the golf pay roll um previously the golf course the mowing that was done it was not budgeted they were using Park mowers and that had to be addressed to allow for the mowing at the golf course how can you take it out of the sheriff's payroll window well it's not taken out of the sheriff's the golf of course labor was taken out of general fund reserves yeah but it says once your uh Sheriff Office pH from payroll well the sheriff's off the sheriff's office took several of their accounts and moved money that they had left into law

  • 4:56

    enforcement supplies uh in order to purchase some things towards the end of the year but we've still got 34 more days in this budget do you still have enough money to the shiff payroll budget to pay the bills yes and the payroll and uh but they didn't take anything out the payroll the sheriff sis so says have a sheriff's payroll in the phone which page is this what page it's on uh page one two of the trans what's the dollar amount what's the dollar amount okay I see they you're right you're correct they were a little bit short on their phone and they had some extra money in payroll the $650 okay I see it now it was $650 you're correct yeah and what is this look OA golden shovel uh that's their internet website it's a website website

  • 6:08

    $5,600 I believe it's $300 a month and we just got several months bills at once okay there's one thing we could cut back on does that come out of their budget why why is it I mean I can't remember that I'm trying to why is it that high that's the I remember jod came and addressed us on that not question for me that's she did we could ask Jason to come and tell us again but it's something they say they have to have and they did shop and see if they can find a different thing that cheaper does it have something to do with because of all the other capabilities in that in that building I don't know I'll check I'll talk it's not the Internet it's the noite itself yeah security they're working on changing that the website yeah I think it's to where if a business wanted to Google something it's going to pull it to that side okay it it has it has the capability of anything that you pull up you can literally punch a button and make a report like all the different things I I've just seen it also takes

  • 7:23

    care of monitoring the traffic and where the traffic's from potential of economic yeah what's the 3500 for elii security camera uh what page are you on page two of eight okay down to the bottom that's for OA they had security cameras put in over the h shouldn't they get that cleared before they put something in that that expensive well if it fits their budget they usually don't if it's already approved in their budget I think we've been through this before a lot of them wait till the last end of the term before the budget goes out which is 33 days and then they spend all their money we've discussed that before that's all I have any other questions or

  • 8:36

    uh discussion B that on say I post sign the bills are paid um we have I think is this the first reading of this ordinance right it is first reading of ordinance 2024 D6 to the administrative code Jason since you're own on the committee I guess you should make motion there's several different several different things we taken put in and taken out of the administrative code you can get a copy at on our we on at the office is it on the onite it's on the website so if somebody really wants to if you look at it the yellow has out is what was taken out I guess um highlights there several things but if you want a copy of it you're more up and get a copy on the line or come by the office and get it and we gave some gave copy to the media but the longevity uh incentive program is it used to be 5 years 500 10 years th000 we removed all that and then we went with back on the