By MELINDA J. OVERSTREET
for Glasgow News 1
With all members present, the Barren County Fiscal Court unanimously approved second reading of the ordinance adopting the proposed $18.5 million budget for the fiscal year that begins Saturday.
The first reading was in May, but then other steps had to be completed before the second reading could occur, including approval from the Kentucky Department for Local Government, which was obtained with no changes necessary, Judge-Executive Jamie Bewley Byrd had said earlier.
Though this vote took place after no comments from the fiscal court other than a thank-you from the judge-executive to all who participated in preparing it, a few other items on the lineup for the special-called meeting Thursday did spur comments and/or discussion. With all members present, all votes were unanimous except as noted.
District 6 Magistrate Ronnie Stinson, chair of the Emergency Management and Solid Waste Committee, reported on a meeting that group had Monday, presenting two action items, the first of which was a proposed purchase for a Chevy Tahoe for Glasgow-Barren County Emergency Management.
“Right now, we’re using one borrowed from the sheriff’s department,” he said. “And I think, if I’m right, Emergency Management has not had a vehicle of its own for like 10 years.”
Stinson said it’s through Bachman Chevrolet, so the pricing has already been approved through the state’s bidding process, and he knew that some had concerns about that because it’s not a local company and he understood that.
The sheriff’s office was needing the truck back, he said, and when he ordered a truck locally, it took a year and two months to get it.
Byrd said she had actually reached out to a local dealer to get a cost comparison and find out whether they could provide a vehicle with the same specifications, and she was told that it would be September before they could get the type desired and the cost would be more.
District 3 Magistrate Tim Durham said he’d had concerns with it because it has a police interceptor package, and he would have liked for Sheriff Kent Keen to have the opportunity to purchase another one of those and be able to use it daily.
“A police interceptor — that’s a whole different type of vehicle than just going out here and buying a Tahoe off the lot,” Durham said. “And that was my only concern. I want Garland [Gilliam, EM director] to have a good vehicle. He deserves a good vehicle. He does a good job. The whole team does a good job …, but that was my concern with the issue.”
Stinson, who is also chief of the Park City Volunteer Fire Department, said that Gilliam doesn’t necessarily need some of the police interceptor features.
“But also, in that package – it’s actually the same package as a rescue package, and that rescue package is a different set of braking systems and a different set of suspension systems, and they sort of go hand-in-hand. So, like, a rescue truck, when I order it, that rescue upgrade is about $2,600, I think, so there are some extra things in that,” he said. “It’s not exactly just for police officers on that part.”
Ultimately, District 2 Magistrate Derek Pedigo voted no amid the others’ casting affirmative votes, so the motion for the purchase passed.
The price for the vehicle is $48,746.
Stinson, as the committee chair, also brought out the possibility of reimbursing emergency management volunteers for gas used while performing EM functions.
Gilliam said that, for example, after a storm like the one March 3 or the one this past weekend, they use a lot of fuel going around the county surveying damage. To be reimbursed, the volunteers would have to be using a personal – not county – vehicle and submit a form showing their starting and ending mileages and other relevant information. He said the federal per-mile reimbursement rate had been 63 cents last year and it’s gone up to 65 cents, but he was requesting the 63-cent rate, which is what he budgeted.
Gilliam said the funds for this are already in his budget for the 2023-24 fiscal year, but the policy he would use states that the payment is contingent upon available funding.
The approval vote for this was unanimous.
Purchase orders and payments to ISCO Industries Inc. for $40,274.88 and Temple & Temple for $18,947 for work related to the Ramp Road improvements were authorized.
“The Ramp Road project was finished and under budget,” Byrd said, “and we’re very thankful to get that done. Great job.”
She added that “every bit of this” was paid for by state funds obtained through an emergency grant the county got.
The county adopted the model procurement code per Kentucky Revised Statute 45A.385, which sets rules for how a local government, for example, can purchase items or services. Several years ago, if the purchase price was estimated to be more than $20,000, the government had to advertise for bids, though there are exceptions to the rule. Then it changed to $30,000, and Byrd said the main thing that has changed recently is that the amount has changed to $40,000.
Establishment of a bank account for the Hiseville Cemetery Fund at the Hiseville branch of Cecilian Bank was approved. By way of explanation, Magistrate Tim Coomer, whose District 4 includes the Hiseville area and who is a member of the Hiseville Cemetery Board, said money for the cemetery had been tied up in a trust that has lost money for the past 20 years.
Other action items included:
— a joint resolution to amend an agreement with the City of Glasgow – approved by the Glasgow Common Council earlier this week – regarding the duties of the building inspector;
— payment of claims (bills);
— bank account transfer;
— county attorney amended monthly settlement reports for January, March, April, May, June, September, October and November 2022;
— reappointment of Robert Smith to the Glasgow-Barren County Tourist and Convention Commission, three-year term;
— first reading of an ordinance adopting Annette Lane, Christopher Avenue and Jessica Avenue as county-maintained roads;
— order allowing compensation to the Board of Assessment Appeals – $250 total with the state’s also paying $250;
— authorization for the judge-executive to sign the Kentucky Department of Workers’ Claims Drug-Free Workplace Renewal Affadavit;
— appointment of Kasey Scott to the Barren River Council on Aging and Independent Living, two-year term; and
— second reading of an ordinance approving home inspection fees that go into effect July 1.
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