By Al Owens

Meeting in regular session last week the Lewis County Fiscal Court moved to deny a request from the Lewis County Fire Fighters Association for exemption from the insurance tax. The court cited the possibility of discrimination since all the other non-profit organizations in the county must pay the tax and the loss in much needed revenue for the county as reasons for denying the request.

Four officials from the Flemingsburg office of the Kentucky Department of Highways, District 9 attended the court session.

Katrina Bradley, Chief District Engineer introduced David Leach, the maintenance engineer who is responsible for maintenance activities in Lewis, Greenup and Boyd Counties. She also presented Chester Polley, superintendent responsible for maintenance activities in Lewis County.

Bradley briefly described three revenue sharing programs.

She said that we have a state law that 48.2 percent of the motor fuels tax goes toward rural secondary roads and municipal roads. Of that motor usage tax 22.2 percent is expended by the Transportation Cabinet.

She stated that Lewis County has received 18.3 percent of county road aid through block grants and then 7.7 percent the municipalities received.

Randy Stull, Branch Manager of Operations for the 10 counties in Highway District 9 listed the state highways in Lewis County the department is recommending for paving and repair. The recommendations have to be approved by the state.

All these roads are slated for asphalt resurfacing. They are KY 344, Petersville Road, from the junction of Black Lick Branch extending east to the junction of KY 377 at an estimated cost of $252,326; KY 989, Salt Lick, 1.034 miles north to the junction of KY 3310 extending north to the junction of KY 9 estimated at a cost of $316,176; KY 8, the Concord/Vanceburg Road, 2.007 miles west of KY 3037 at M.P. 15.165 extending east to KY 3037 (M.P. 17.172) at a cost estimate of $132,842; and KY 57, Tollesboro-Concord, from the junction of Gerike Road extending north 1.507 miles at an estimated cost of $93,556.

Third District Magistrate Keith Chapman requested that Montgomery Creek Road be added to the list. The court adopted a resolution approving the requests.

Stull also explained that Lewis County has a total allocation of $968,562 for fiscal year 2007. He added that there is an undistributed amount of money left over from last year of $283,252. Added together that’s $1,251,814. In addition to that, the State Highway Department has also allocated $397,400 for maintenance of traffic and routine roadway maintenance. The expenses for the County Judge Executive to administer the program is $3,862. That leaves an amount for projects of $800,552.

Stull observed that that’s quite a bit more than Lewis County has had for a while.

He pointed out also that Frankfort is keeping $50,000 on hand in case the estimates the state has made for the projects are low and extra funding is needed. If that money is not spent then it will be kept in the coffers for Lewis County next year.

The court moved to advertise for bids for the construction of the Lewis County Animal Shelter Building.

Road foreman Dane Howard presented a list of recommendations for black top, chip/seal, bridge and road repairs in the county. He told the court that the Bear Branch Bridge project has been approved by the state. He also said that cost estimates for the list of projects would have to be revised because the cost of concrete continues to gradually increase.

The court adopted two resolutions granting easements for the use of the county right-of-way to lay water lines on two projects. One was for the Western-Lewis-Rectorville Water and Gas District for its Phase IV Water Project. The other was for the Electric Plant Board for its Water Line Extension Project.

The court also approved a resolution requesting passage of HB 274 that would enable the state to financially take over the county jails by 2010. That bill provides for state financial support of the jails, but the daily operations would not change. Jailer Tim Underwood, however, told the court that the Kentucky Jailers Association has little hope that the bill will pass because it would put a large financial burden on the state.

Lewis County Clerk Shirley Hinton presented her department’s annual settlement to the court for fiscal year 2005. She reported that receipts totaled $1,817,683.26 with disbursements coming to $1,806,905.94 leaving excess fees of $10,777.32 that go to the county. The court approved the settlement.

Lewis County Sheriff Bill Lewis also presented his department’s settlement for the 2005 fiscal year and it was approved. Lewis said that the receipts totaled $355,403.87 with disbursements of $353,836.10 leaving excess fees of $1,572.77 going to the county.

The court approved a budget amendment for the county clerk’s office. Hinton told the court that in one account receipts exceeded the budget’s estimate by $20,000 and in another she overspent the budget by $5000, and the amendment reflects those changes in the budget.

The court approved another budget amendment to show the receipt of the $61,650 for the animal shelter project.

The court also approved a revision to the standing order to pre-approve certain recurring expenses to include the pass-through monies for the construction of the new Lewis County Health Department Building.

In his routine monthly report Lewis County Jailer Tim Underwood informed the court that the jail has been granted permission to add 12 beds to the state side of the Detention Center bringing the total number of beds up to 48. He said that the additional beds would bring in about $134,000 of additional revenue to the jail annually.

Underwood added that permission has also been granted to add six beds to the county side of the jail. That will increase the number of beds to 24 and will ease the overcrowding situation there.

He said the changes came about due to the changes in the square footage per inmate state law requires.

Underwood stated that he had been chosen to serve on the board that reviews the state regulations concerning jails, detention centers and prisons every two years, and those changes were among the recommendations the board was able to get passed.

Underwood also requested a raise for the deputy jailers. He told the court that the deputies’ beginning salaries were in line with neighboring counties but after that it was different. He pointed out that a new deputy working only six months received the same salary as a deputy that has worked at the jail for 16 years.

He said that the jail now employees 17 full time deputies, three less than the previous administration, and has three part time deputies.

Underwood said that he had told the deputies who asked for the raises that they could create a raise for themselves by the continued efficient operation of the jail.

The board approved the BG4 for the girls’ softball field lights. The BG4 is the final document sent to the state to show that a project is completed and to provide for the payment of all the final bills relating to that project.

Reeder told the board that the old dugouts had been destroyed and new ones built. He said that Lewis County now has an excellent facility for the girls’ softball games.

The board approved the School Facilities Construction Commission offer of assistance of $57,869. That will be applied to the project at Tollesboro Elementary.

The board approved a contract with Bluegrass Imaging of Olive Hill for school pictures for 2006 through 2009. Reeder said that the company also did the football and basketball programs.

Kevin Duff added that the company charged the same price it charged in 2001.

Reeder explained that Bluegrass Imaging had competitive prices, good quality work and tried hard to accommodate the school.

The board also approved the pest management procedure. The state requires that pest control be practiced every two years. In the cases where pesticides will be sprayed the parents will be notified in advance. Currently no spraying is being done. The workers are using bait to control any pests.

The board approved the dues of 50 cents times the average daily attendance for the Council of Better Education. The district has been a member of this helpful council since its inception several years ago.

The board approved the 2007 fiscal year budgets and the assurance certifications for the Youth Services Center, the Helping Hands Family Resource Center and the Family Center Resource Center.

The board also approved the KISTA equipment lease and security agreement for the purchase of four new buses.

The board approved two change orders for the Tollesboro Elementary Project. One is for a new aluminum flagpole at a cost of $931.50. The other is for new ceilings, light fixtures and power outlets for a new computer lab. It totals $15,904.57.

Meeting in a brief regular session last week the Electric Plant Board of the City of Vanceburg reacted to the declining cost of natural gas it pays the providers and again lowered the gas rates by ten percent beginning March 1. That means that the rates have been lowered 20 percent over the past two months.

Superintendent Phil Kennedy told the board he expects this price to remain consistent for about three months without any further adjustment of rates.

Kennedy also shared the annual report of each department’s activities with board members. He highlighted the fact that most of the overtime last year came during windstorms or when the power was knocked out for some reason.

He also informed the board that the Division of Water now has the 2004 Water Line Extension Project.

Kennedy says that the company is down to obtaining only four or five more easements for that project and hopes it will go to bid in April.

Regarding rates for electricity he said that even with the increase in rates this year the local utility company’s rates are still lower than its competitors.

Kennedy said that last month the company paid power providers $251,000 for electricity and $261,000 for natural gas.

The annual report for the Water, Sewer and Gas Departments showed that the Utility Company last fiscal year produced 422,500,000 gallons of water with 45 new water taps, 115 leaks repaired, three hydrants installed, 25 water services renewed and 144 water samples collected.

Water line extension installations were as follows: two-inch lines at Hazel Branch and Horsley Branch and four-inch lines at Harrison Hollow, Manley Hollow and Big Salt Lick.

The annual report for the Electric Department showed that 25 new services were installed. Overtime totaled 324 hours and they were used during the year due to bad weather and other related problems. A total of 18 lights were installed.

The company built a new single phase high line to Rebecca Chatman’s house at Black Oak; built a three-phase line and set transformers for Super Quik in Garrison; built a single phase line across the tracks on the Everman property; and ran underground service on Jack Thomas’ property and installed a pedestal to pick up trailers.