Kentucky Emergency Management and the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security hosted a 10=county Homeland Security exercise under the direction of the Kentucky Homeland Security Exercise and Evaluation Program on March 16.

The exercise was a one-day event and was an earthquake functional exercise simulated from the Kentucky Division of Emergency Management Operations Center in Frankfort.

The functional exercise focused on developing a coordinated action plan involving multiple agencies, jurisdictions and the various resources available to assist in responding to a disaster.

The local Emergency Center Operations Center setting was in the third floor of the courthouse with representatives from health and medical services, Lewis County Sheriff's Department, Vanceburg Police Department, Lewis County Emergency Management, fire departments, Lewis County search and rescue, Vanceburg Utilities, Lewis County Health Department, Lewis County Primary Care and Lewis County Road Department.

A department operations center was set up at the Lewis County Health Department and Lewis County Primary Care Center, receiving and sending messages also from the state EOC and local EOC.

Participants operated within their simulated actual organization operating environment and focused on issues addressing both the response and recovery to a natural disaster.

A Master Sequence of Events List (MSEL) was developed to ensure participants addressed the exercise objectives. An MSEL item prompts players to take specific actions based on current procedures. MSEL items supplement the scenario theme and can provide input of non-participating organizations. Actions that should be taken by participating organizations will be left to player action.

The exercise was designed to see how ell the participants would meet the objectives set upon them by the Kentucky Department of Homeland Security.

The Kentucky Emergency Operations Center in Frankfort provided visual and audio input to the Emergency Operations Center in Lewis County and the nine other counties.

The EOCs utilized fax, email, telephone, cell phone and ham radio to send and receive messages to the state EOC.

The preparedness partners understand that there is room for improvement in preparedness for a catastrophic disaster that would require federal, state and local coordination.

A controller, to manage the flow of the exercise, and an evaluator, who documented the effectiveness of the players were sent in from Homeland Security.

All spoken and written communications started with "This is an Exercise" to avoid confusion with any real communications.

A formal evaluation report of the exercise will be completed by Homeland Security and sent to all participating counties.

Meeting in regular session last week the Lewis County Fiscal Court tabled the approval of bids for the new Animal Shelter Building.

County Attorney Clayton “Buddy” Lykins, Jr., told the court that the project needs approval of some plans by the state and once approved those plans will become the specs for the building. He added that the project would probably have to be re-bid.

The court moved to enter into a lease agreement with World Wide Truck & Equipment Sales, Prestonburg, KY for two tandem dump trucks. That action is contingent upon legal approval by the county attorney. The motion included the declaration of an emergency due to the nature of the offer.

Jim Dobson, representing World Wide Truck & Equipment Sales Company explained that the county could drive two new dump trucks for a year and then sell them at auction and either break even or make up to about $9000 through the lease deal. He said that Ross, Sinclair & Associates, Lexington, KY is handling the financing, and the company requires no payment until after the county sells the trucks at auction after a minimum of 10 months use.

Dobson said that 33 counties currently use the lease program and Carter and Rowan Counties are among them.

Road Foreman Dane Howard said the lease deal would immediately eliminate the maintenance expenses of the older trucks owned by the county. He told the court that his department annually spends a small fortune maintaining the older vehicles.

County Judge Executive Steve Applegate added that the county officials he’s talked to are well pleased with the program.

The court approved the annual donation of $250 to the Lewis County Relay for Life.

The court approved an ordinance to amend the annual budget to show unbudgeted receipts of $61,650 for the new animal shelter.

The court also moved to enter into a contract with Brewer Lawn Service to mow the grass at the Lewis County/Vanceburg Industrial Park right-of-way in Black Oak at a cost of $250 for the year.

The court approved the advertising for bids for both a Low-Boy trailer to haul heavy equipment and a Tag-A-Long trailer to haul a backhoe.

The court okayed a budget amendment to the Sheriff’s Department to show unbudgeted receipts of $17,232 from the tax commission, the funds being used to extend the salary of a deputy sheriff.

The court approved the following appointments: Vonnie Pope as secretary for the Firebrick Volunteer Fire Department replacing Elaine Eldridge, no expiration date for her term was available: Marilyn Conway to the Lewis County Cemetery Board replacing William Talley; Betty Adams to the Lewis County Cemetery Board replacing Pauline Applegate; Anthony Silvey to the Vanceburg-Lewis County Industrial Authority to fill the unexpired term of Roger Bivens, that term expires in August, 2008; Chad Sizemore to the Lewis County Planning Commission, his term to expire on July 31, 2009.

The court adopted a resolution to accept an Appalachian Regional Commission grant offer of $250,000 for the new Lewis County Health Department Building.

The court approved the treasurer’s report and all the claims and transfers for the General, Road & Bridge and Jail Fund accounts.

Judge Applegate informed the court that he is making a Discretionary Bond Fund Application for $100,000 for the Road Department for chip/seal on selected Lewis County roads. He requested that the magistrates provide him with a priority list of the roads in their respective districts that need the chip/seal work. That list will accompany the application.

Before adjourning the Judge announced that the next regular session of the Lewis County Fiscal Court will be held on Monday, April 10 at 9:30 a.m. in the third floor courtroom of the courthouse. The meeting is open to the public.

By Al Owens

The Lewis County Board of Education was treated to a bus ride in the rain during its regular session last week.

Superintendent Maurice Reeder Jr. had bus driver Jim Bob McGlone take the board members to the high school to see the new lights recently installed at the girls' softball field.

When the educators first got on the brand new vehicle, McGlone gave them a brief presentation on how to evacuate the bus in case of an emergency. He said that that procedure was followed every time the students got on a bus to travel to any special event.

The well-lighted softball field looked beautiful in the night rain. Reeder said that when the bleachers are installed Lewis County would have one of the best ball fields in the region.

When the board returned to the superintendent's office to continue the meeting Kevin Lewis explained the Kentucky Educational Excellence Scholarship (KEES) program.

Using money from the Kentucky Lottery the state provides funding for college students based on two factors, their grade point average (GPA) and performance on their ACT or SAT scores. The financial awards can be used at any Kentucky college or technical school. To earn the funds the student must maintain a minimum 2.5 GPA. The higher the grades and test scores the more money the student earns.

For instance, if a pupil has a 2.5 GPA he or she would get a scholarship of $125 for each year of college. If the student has a 4.0 GPA that amount would increase to $500.

The student does not have to apply for the scholarship. The GPA of each child is automatically sent to the Kentucky Higher Education Assistance Authority (KHEAA) at the end of each school year. All the student has to do is to study hard and make good grades.

Brochures explaining the program are available at school.

Lewis said that last year Lewis County students earned $122,000 in KEES scholarships and $63,000 in other scholarships.

Paula Lewis announced that the Lewis County Middle School Academic Team placed eighth in the state in quick recall in the Governor's Cup competition this year. They were defeated by the team that won the event.

Diane Johnson told the board that the Science Fair was held at the high school last week, and 19 students are going on to Northern.

The board moved to declare two buses as surplus property. One is a 1990 66-passenger bus with air brakes. The other is a 1987 36-passenger bus with hydraulic brakes.

Then the board approved a KISTA resolution in order to sell the buses on the worldwide market. 

The board then approved the sale of the 1990 bus through KISTA and the sale of the 1987 bus through local sealed bids.

The board changed the date of the April session. Rather than meeting on the regularly scheduled time of the month on April 10 at the superintendent's office the board will meet in the library at Tollesboro Elementary a week later on Monday, April 17, at 7:00 p.m.. The change is necessary because some of the personnel will be out of town on the week of April 10.

The board moved to bid out the district beverage marketing for next year. For the past five years Pepsi has provided the appropriate beverages, but that contract expires May 31. Reeder said that Coke has been vying for the business, and due to changes in the law since the last contract the school board now has to bid it out.

Reeder said that the district has been well satisfied with Pepsi's service and product.

The board approved the use of school bus transportation for the kids going to Camp Webb with Kentucky Fish and Wildlife.

The board approved the following field trips: Garrison Elementary Academic Team COSI, Columbus, Ohio; Tollesboro Preschool classes, zoo, Cincinnati, Ohio; Tollesboro Elementary (Breeze, Kegley, Lashbrooke and Hord classes) zoo, Cincinnati; Garrison Elementary (Hall, Kraft), SSU Planetarium, Portsmouth, Ohio; Garrison Elementary (Gardner, Bivens), SSU Planetarium, Portsmouth.

The board entered closed session to discuss personnel. After re-entering open session board chairman Joe LeMaster announced that no action was taken during the closed session.

Reeder told the board that Jerry Brandon Combs is the new high school football coach. He said that Combs seems to be well organized and has already planned to meet with the team. Combs doesn't officially start until July 1 but he plans to be here for spring football practice.