Meeting of November 14, 2023
11-14-23 Ohio County Fiscal Court Meeting · Watch on YouTube ↗
Summary
Ohio County Fiscal Court – November 14, 2023
The court handled routine business first, approving the October 24 minutes, paying bills and claims, and acknowledging the treasurer's October financial statement and the library/music report. A resolution (2023-248) was approved to reprioritize items on the LGov (house bill) funding list so the county can move forward with purchasing property near the courthouse before the price increases; the bid still must be advertised and accepted at a future meeting, likely requiring a special call before December 19.
A proposed update to the drug and alcohol policy—adding language about marijuana and impairment standards developed with a state trooper who is a certified drug recognition expert—was discussed at length but tabled until the next meeting so a magistrate who was absent could review it.
The court passed the second reading of Ordinance 2023-242, amending the administrative code in three places: clarifying language around passing/taking hiring requirements, requiring immediate (rather than delayed) enrollment in the state retirement system for eligible employees, and adding a formal 12-month FMLA measuring period. Because it's an ordinance, it required a roll-call vote and passed with all four magistrates present voting yes.
The ARCH reentry program presented strong results—hundreds of clients served and significant jail-cost savings—and requested approval to trial GPS smartwatches as a replacement for ankle monitors for people in the program; the court approved a trial and authorized the judge-executive to sign a related contract if terms are acceptable. The court also appointed Lee Hiner to the Rochester Dam Water Commission, replacing an outgoing member.
The court's HVAC committee reported on a roughly $77,250 quote from Complete Comfort to replace the community center's HVAC system, which has needed extensive repairs. The court agreed to submit this quote to AOC to assess funding options and to run a newspaper ad, without committing to the project yet. Father's House, a recovery ministry, asked the court to consider using remaining ARPA funds (roughly $68,000) to finish renovating their facility, citing substantial jail-cost savings from diverting people from incarceration into treatment; the court agreed to hold a follow-up meeting to review a prioritized, itemized funding request. The meeting closed with routine magistrate comments and an announcement that the next regular meeting is December 19, with a possible special call meeting before then for the road bid.
Agenda (14)
- 1:37
Approval of October 24 minutes
The court reviewed and approved the minutes from the October 24 meeting without discussion.
- 2:17
Bills, claims, payments and transfers
The court approved payment of bills, claims, payments and transfers with no discussion.
- 2:53
Treasurer's October 2023 financial statement
The court acknowledged receipt of the treasurer's October financial statement; no action beyond acknowledgment was needed.
- 3:46
Library/music report acknowledgment
The court acknowledged receipt of the October library/music department report.
- 4:11
Resolution 2023-248 – reprioritizing LGov list items
A resolution reprioritized items on the county's house bill funding list to allow purchase of a corner property before its price rises; the purchase still requires advertising, court acceptance of the bid, and concurrence letters from state legislators.
- 8:08
Proposed drug and alcohol policy amendment
A revised drug/alcohol policy incorporating marijuana and impairment language developed with a state trooper drug recognition expert was discussed and ultimately tabled until the next meeting for further review.
- 16:30
Ordinance 2023-242 – administrative code amendments
The admin code committee presented and the court passed by roll call three changes to the administrative code covering hiring language, immediate retirement enrollment, and a new FMLA 12-month period definition.
- 20:54
County Line Road viewing committee
The court appointed members (Rip, Helen, and Nick) to a viewing committee to inspect County Line Road, since a prior appointee never completed the task.
- 22:50
ARCH program GPS monitor proposal and report
Jimmy Cantrell of the ARCH reentry program requested approval to trial GPS smartwatches as an alternative to ankle monitors and presented data on program savings and outcomes, including hundreds of clients served and substantial jail-cost avoidance.
- 31:11
Board appointment – Rochester Dam Water Commission
The court appointed Lee Hiner to the Rochester Dam Water Commission to replace outgoing member John Wagner.
- 31:48
Committee reports – HVAC, admin code, new county administrator
The HVAC committee reported a quote from Complete Comfort for community center HVAC replacement and proposed submitting it to AOC for funding review; the admin code committee said further changes await more magistrates; the new county administrator, Rip, was introduced.
- 36:15
Father's House ARPA funding request
Jennifer Tibbs of Father's House requested consideration of remaining ARPA funds (~$68,000) to finish renovating their recovery facility, presenting data on client outcomes and jail-cost savings; the court agreed to schedule a follow-up meeting for a prioritized funding request.
- 52:45
Magistrates' comments and requests
Magistrates gave brief updates, including a mental health resource meeting announcement and a new travel/conference request form for magistrates to use.
- 56:02
Adjournment
With no further business from the public, the meeting was adjourned.
Motions & votes (10)
- 1:49
passedApprove the October 24 meeting minutes
Moved by Jason · seconded by Michael · unanimous voice vote
- 2:32
passedApprove bills, claims, payments and transfers
Moved by Michael Mckenny · seconded by Jason Bullock · unanimous voice vote
- 3:16
passedAcknowledge receipt of the treasurer's October 2023 financial statement
Moved by Jason · unanimous voice vote
- 3:53
passedAcknowledge receipt of the October library/music department report
Moved by Bo Bennett · seconded by Michael · unanimous voice vote
- 6:30
passedApprove Resolution 2023-248 reprioritizing LGov house bill list items to allow purchase of corner property
Moved by Jason · seconded by Michael · unanimous voice vote
- 15:20
tabledTable the proposed drug and alcohol policy amendment until the next meeting
unanimous voice vote
- 19:52
passedApprove ordinance 2023-242 amending the administrative code (hiring language, retirement enrollment timing, FMLA 12-month period)
Moved by Jason · roll call: Bennett yes, Johnston yes, Mckenny yes, Bullock yes
- 25:53
passedApprove a trial of GPS smartwatches for the ARCH monitoring program and authorize the judge-executive to execute a related contract
Moved by Jason Bullock · seconded by Michael Mckenny · unanimous voice vote
- 31:17
passedAppoint Lee Hiner to the Rochester Dam Water Commission
roll call: Bennett yes, Johnston yes, Mckenny yes, B yes
- 34:12
passedUse the Complete Comfort HVAC takeoff quote, contingent on AOC funding, and run an ad in the paper
unanimous voice vote
Transcript (46 segments)
- 0:00
[Music] College meting Fiscal Court order on November the 14th 2023 just pass 5:00 p.m. and going ask Miss tishner to lead us in a prayer and a pledge to the flag come on up to the mic Heavenly Father we come to you tonight Lord just thanking you for an opportunity to be here tonight gathered together with like-minded individuals Lord we pray tonight God for your wisdom Lord most of all God we pray that every member of this court Lord that your wisdom would fall upon them tonight as we make decisions Lord that that affect our lives Lord real lives Lord Liv that you love and care about father tonight we thank you for that Lord we thank you for everything that you do in our lives and and we just thank you for this County Lord we thank you for moving and operating throughout this County God we see your work Lord and we thank you for
- 1:13
it tonight amen I PL Ali to the flag of the United States of America and to the Republic for which it stands one nation under God indivisible with liy and justice for than you um before you have the Amendments of the October uh 24th meeting we need to uh a motion to approve I'll make a motion to approve motion by Jason second second by Michael uh any discussion Corrections or additions to the minut is there any discussion Corrections or additions to the minute being none all in favor say I post like sign motion passed before you you have the bills claims payments and transfers need a motion to approve was you late
- 2:25
l no l two times in a row for the record bill transfer I'll make a motion motion by Michael mckenny second second by Jason bulock any discussion any discussion on the bills claims payments and transfers no discussion all in favor say I poos like sign the bills are paid before you have the treasures October 202 three financial statement uh at this point all we need to do is acknowledge we got it make the ackowledge that we bought didn't buy anything we got uh 2023 financial report from the clerk okay motion Jason all was it financial statement I'm sorry treasur financial statement I'm sorry I have a secondy to buy something sorry second second I heard you first got it yep anything discussion or questions for the treasur big none on thir say I post
- 3:39
[Music] like and I don't see best here but we have her uh uh same thing October [Music] report need the motion to acknowledge we got it make a motion we got it motion by Bo Benny second second by michen is there any discussion on it any discussion B none all favor say I I oppose like [Music] sign okay next one we have resolution 20 24-8 and the purpose of this is to uh re prioritize a couple of the items on the L House Bill list in order for us to uh the purpose of it is so we can go ahead and buy the corner while the price is there F to go up 10,000 if we don't buy so we moving the money up so we can so the money was in there you're just you're just moving it from one spot to another up the top
- 4:53
yeah do I have motion to approve that I have a question Donnie you still got you still still got that the quote yeah have you still got that held or yes it is still held I spoke with her last week and explained to her uh that we would know something one way or the other this week and she said that would perfectly fine and that I could get with an and no you would ahead and run the add in the paper it it has to be advertised and the court has to accept the bid the next court meeting is December 19th I also have to get concurrence letters from the house of rep you know Scott Lewis and Senator Meredith that's a real quick issue after we do this that that's a quick ter they just have to approve this yeah but it's quick ter I might could get it in the day if we're lucky if they're in you still have to advertise it and the court still has to accept the bid so so if you want it before December 19th we'll we'll do a special call to do it as soon as we get these steps gone through these hoops
- 6:07
jump through we we'll call special call I'm sorry I didn't realize that I was one of the folks to make the advertisement didn't understand that well we're okay with moving up front I mean that's what we're voting on tonight anyway right got a motion I'll make a motion motion M Jason have a second I second motion second by micel um any discussion n i post like do you have a copy that list though the the order of the list we'll get it to you Rand oh sorry I don't I do I mean there's only one thing um there's only one other thing on the list after these two okay what is it it's the sheriff's vehicle no there's there's some other stuff down the list no that hasn't been it's all been approved resolution I'm sorry these things it were but this was this van was on there that was it was
- 7:22
approved where is now putting the van on there but I I have said it on the budget that you've had for some time yeah yeah this will be the first time yall I mean y'all just have to do it by resolution all yeah it's been on the list for some time yeah that's what I want to know I was just kind I was just want to see the the list and where we where thing was in the list no we vot we vot on the resol okay well on first say F like sign Carri okay now then Justin everything already okay uh yes they that's requested to maybe uh prepare uh an amended policy for the drug alcohol policy that will include marijuana and some of the changes to the laws with respect to that uh I think I emailed uh the proposed uh policy change uh you should have it in your packets also I know there's any questions or any concerns but uh uh we worked with u uh one of the state troopers um Dalton lot oh Dalton who's certified with respect to a lot of
- 8:36
he Dr so drug recognition expert and uh he had to give us indications as to how the policy should be given yeah so do I have a motion to uh do the uh to approve this uh policy yeah I I'll make motion so explain that I'm sorry that's I got it right I'm looking at it explain the marijuana part of it can can we do a second then we'll discuss second for discussion okay second okay I'm sorry j trying yeah so this what when we looked at this um in some of the the the policies and procedures uh they certainly cannot uh someone cannot uh use possess it or consume it or or or um transfer it or anything of that nature while on the job that would include alcohol marijuana any controlled substance droke that's not