OBSERVER CORPS REPORT
AGENCY: Madison County Fiscal Court
DATE: August 11, 2009
REPORTER: Howard Bowden
Convened 9:31 a.m. at Courthouse in Richmond. All Present.
Minutes were approved.
Treasurer’s Report: The largest expenditure of funds in July went to paying workmen‘s comp and county employees’ insurance for the coming fiscal year. The County received 100% reimbursement for the Barnes Mill project; $162K from FEMA and State; and 100% of the ice storm debris removal has been paid.
Order of Business:
1. Proclamation- MCHS Distinguished Student: A proclamation was read by Judge Clark honoring Jacob Welch, a student at Madison Central High School for his role as President of the Kentucky Junior Classical League and editor of the organization’s national publication.
2. Bluegrass Chemical Agent Pilot Plant Briefing- Craig Williams began by giving a brief history of the weapons demilitarization project from 1991 with the opposition to incineration and the Bluegrass depot being the last scheduled for disposal, through the adoption of the 2003 alternative of Super Critical Water Oxidation. He explained the vacillation in completion dates has been due to financial shortfalls and that the $400M/year necessary for the project was not approved till 2008. As of now the project should be completed by 2021, but may be 2015 based on 2010 funding. However, public law states that it must be completed no later than 2017. Disposal of the byproduct will be accomplished at the Depot and will generate 600 jobs, Williams said. As of now there are 400 workers employed on the project.
3. Battlefield Golf Report - Golf pro Clay Hamrick reported the club now has 184 members. The Golf Club has not shown a profit since the County bought it, and this year according to the 2009-2010 budget it is projected to have estimated receipts of $475,000 and appropriations of $553,500—a shortfall of $78,500. (Editorial comment by LWV Observer Howard Bowden: Especially during these hard financial times it is hard to justify the taxpayers of the County subsidizing a voluntary, pleasurable, activity for 184 out of 81,000 citizens of the County.)
4. 2009 Taxing District Rates: Madison County Health Department- $.05/$100; Madison County 2010 Motor Vehicle & Watercraft- $.10/$100; Madison County Library- $.035/$100.
Judge’s Report: A “Walk of Fame” with interpretive signs is scheduled to be constructed in front of the courthouse honoring Madison County historical figures. Also noted that in addition to the 600 acres that presently make up the Richmond Civil War Battlefield, 400 more acres will eventually be added from the Depot.
Comments from Magistrates: Dr Tudor requested that the taxing districts report their justification for tax rates. Larry Combs thought the Library tax rate should be lower.
Comments from Audience: None
Adjournment
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Fiscal Court explores Wilderness Trail road
OBSERVER CORPS REPORT
AGENCY: Madison County Fiscal Court
DATE: July 29, 2009
REPORTER: Howard Bowden
The meeting was called to order at 9:30 a.m. with all present.
ORDER Of BUSINESS
Madison County Homemakers Happy Hands presented the Court with a quilt of barn blocks. There are 50 barns in the county displaying the quilt patterns. (To view the patterns online, go to http://ces3.ca.uky.edu/madisonquilttrail/patterns.html)
The Court approved Order #09-01 authorizing the Treasurer to use an Electronic Signature to sign payroll checks. She had been signing them by hand.
A number of actions were taken to purchase, deed, bid and rebuild a right of way along the Wilderness Trail. The Fiscal Court will act as fiscal agent in administering a $1.7 M grant. The trail will provide a means of ingress and egress for the new school complex.
Judge reported that a litigant on the cell tower construction has requested all county records. The County is going to give them all those they need concerning the law suit. The Judge congratulated Chuck Hardin, assistant county attorney, on his appointment to the bench as District Judge, replacing William Clouse who was elected circuit court judge in November.
Department Head Comments: CSEPP is upgrading emergency radios and installing new siren towers. Planning and Development has available, for those interested, comparisons of residential building and development over the past years. Home building is down about half of what it was in 2007.
Magistrates Comments: Dr. Tudor asked the question: Where are today’s heroes and who do young people have to look up to? Roger Barger commented that going green is going to be expensive initially. Harold Botner reported that the County Fair was a success.
AGENCY: Madison County Fiscal Court
DATE: July 29, 2009
REPORTER: Howard Bowden
The meeting was called to order at 9:30 a.m. with all present.
ORDER Of BUSINESS
Madison County Homemakers Happy Hands presented the Court with a quilt of barn blocks. There are 50 barns in the county displaying the quilt patterns. (To view the patterns online, go to http://ces3.ca.uky.edu/madisonquilttrail/patterns.html)
The Court approved Order #09-01 authorizing the Treasurer to use an Electronic Signature to sign payroll checks. She had been signing them by hand.
A number of actions were taken to purchase, deed, bid and rebuild a right of way along the Wilderness Trail. The Fiscal Court will act as fiscal agent in administering a $1.7 M grant. The trail will provide a means of ingress and egress for the new school complex.
Judge reported that a litigant on the cell tower construction has requested all county records. The County is going to give them all those they need concerning the law suit. The Judge congratulated Chuck Hardin, assistant county attorney, on his appointment to the bench as District Judge, replacing William Clouse who was elected circuit court judge in November.
Department Head Comments: CSEPP is upgrading emergency radios and installing new siren towers. Planning and Development has available, for those interested, comparisons of residential building and development over the past years. Home building is down about half of what it was in 2007.
Magistrates Comments: Dr. Tudor asked the question: Where are today’s heroes and who do young people have to look up to? Roger Barger commented that going green is going to be expensive initially. Harold Botner reported that the County Fair was a success.
County gets grant money to fight drugs
OBSERVER CORPS REPORT
AGENCY: Madison County Fiscal Court
DATE: July 14, 2009
REPORTER: Howard Bowden
The meeting was called to order at 9:33 a.m. with all present.
ORDER Of BUSINESS
1. Robin Moreland, director of Hope Wings — Madison County's domestic violence shelter, reported that 83 women and children have received services since the shelter opened. The facility can accommodate up to 16 persons. The average stay is 10 days, Moreland reported with one day being the shortest stay and 83 days the longest. Through its outreach/education program, the staff have had direct contact with 1,600 people, Moreland said.
2. Bids were opened to remove debris and to chip fallen trees and brush at the US 421 Cemetery. A little history on the cemetery - 5 acres were originally dedicated for the burials of whites and 7.9 acres for the burials of people of color.
3. Road Department bids for fuel, oil. and culverts were awarded to two local contractors.
4. The County attorney returned $3,320 in excess funds.
5. The Fiscal Court will act as the fiscal agent for a $150,000 drug task force grant received by the sheriff’s department, a $7,500 dead animal disposal grant received by the solid waste Department and a community development block grant of $319,000 for God’s Food Pantry.
6. Larry Todd was appointed to the Southern Madison Water Board.
Department Head Comments: Duane Curry reported that the county received a piece of property from a bank due to foreclosure and after paying $1,300 to clean it up sold it at auction for $15,500. The money was put into the solid waste budget.
Magistrates Comments: Dr Tudor reminded the Court and audience that there are going to be desperate needs facing the community as society continues to change and commented that the American male is not used to physical work. Roger Barger noted that the churches are helping to meet many of these needs.
AGENCY: Madison County Fiscal Court
DATE: July 14, 2009
REPORTER: Howard Bowden
The meeting was called to order at 9:33 a.m. with all present.
ORDER Of BUSINESS
1. Robin Moreland, director of Hope Wings — Madison County's domestic violence shelter, reported that 83 women and children have received services since the shelter opened. The facility can accommodate up to 16 persons. The average stay is 10 days, Moreland reported with one day being the shortest stay and 83 days the longest. Through its outreach/education program, the staff have had direct contact with 1,600 people, Moreland said.
2. Bids were opened to remove debris and to chip fallen trees and brush at the US 421 Cemetery. A little history on the cemetery - 5 acres were originally dedicated for the burials of whites and 7.9 acres for the burials of people of color.
3. Road Department bids for fuel, oil. and culverts were awarded to two local contractors.
4. The County attorney returned $3,320 in excess funds.
5. The Fiscal Court will act as the fiscal agent for a $150,000 drug task force grant received by the sheriff’s department, a $7,500 dead animal disposal grant received by the solid waste Department and a community development block grant of $319,000 for God’s Food Pantry.
6. Larry Todd was appointed to the Southern Madison Water Board.
Department Head Comments: Duane Curry reported that the county received a piece of property from a bank due to foreclosure and after paying $1,300 to clean it up sold it at auction for $15,500. The money was put into the solid waste budget.
Magistrates Comments: Dr Tudor reminded the Court and audience that there are going to be desperate needs facing the community as society continues to change and commented that the American male is not used to physical work. Roger Barger noted that the churches are helping to meet many of these needs.
Subscribe to:
Comments (Atom)
Posts
