By Dennis Brown

Lewis County Fiscal Court approved a bid for the replacement of a bridge on Manley Hollow during the regular April session.

E&E Construction Company submitted the apparent low bid of $60,000 for the replacement project. Judge Executive Steve Applegate said the bid came in lower than expected and the county has received $68,300 from the state for the project.

There was one other bid on the project for $65,000. Applegate said work will be getting underway on the project shortly.

Magistrates heard from Jeremy Brickey with the Kentucky Department of Transportation concerning the Rural Secondary Road Program in Lewis County.

Brickey said seven projects are slated for Lewis County this calendar year with discretionary funds remaining of $229,280 for the county to use on resurfacing projects.

Other projects will include resurfacing a portion of Ky. Rt. 344 at an estimated $95,000; resurfacing a portion of Chalk Ridge Road at an estimated $275,000; resurfacing a portion of Zion Ridge Road at an estimated $175,000; resurfacing a portion of Ky. Rt. 559 near Petersville at an estimated $115,000; resurfacing a portion of Scotts Branch Road at an estimated $44,271; resurfacing a portion of Briary Road at an estimated $38,904; and resurfacing a portion of Laurel Road at an estimated $43,217.

Magistrates adopted a resolution to approve the projects.

Deanna Jessie with the Kentucky Prescription Assistance Program addressed magistrates at explained the program.

She said a community organizer will go to each county in the Commonwealth to assist as needed and develop a volunteer network.

The program was established by the Kentucky Legislature in 2008 to assist individuals in obtaining free or reduced price prescription drugs.

Magistrates approved a resolution to allow three percent of the county’s Road Aid Co-op funding to be placed into an emergency fund.

Applegate said the county’s share will be $19,356.24. He said the money goes into a fund and is disbursed to counties in the event of an emergency to help pay for unforeseen expenses, such as road and drainage repairs following a storm.

He said the county received $96,600 from the fund last year to help pay for repairs to storm damage across the county. “It’s a good plan,” he said.

In other business, Magistrates approved the second reading of a budget ordinance to show unbudgeted receipts from the state; set the speed limit on Fuller Branch Road at 10 miles-per-hour; approved acknowledgement of the receipt of budgets from the Lewis County Conservation District and Camp Dix Volunteer Fire Department; and approved a planned maintenance agreement with Bridgeway Generator for the E-911 facility.

County officials presented their monthly reports and magistrates entered into closed session to discuss proposed or pending litigation before adjourning.

Bill Tom Stone is ready to take the position as head of the Vanceburg Electric Plant Board and take on the many challenges that come with the position. Stone will replace Eric Bloomfield who has taken a position as a controller with a regional bank.

“I'm pleased that the Electric Plant Board has shown their confidence in me to take over the operations of the Utility,” Stone said. “I know the past year has been rough, but the board and Eric have worked hard to keep the community informed and have fought hard to keep our rates competitive with surrounding communities,” he added. 

“I plan on continuing the good works started and searching for additional ways to improve our services,” he said.

Stone was named to fill the position during the Plant Board’s regular meeting on April 13. Bloomfield’s resignation was made public during the regular meeting of Vanceburg City Council on April 5. He presented his letter of resignation to the Plant Board during a closed session on March 30.

Bloomfield’s last official day as Plant Board Superintendent will be May 31. He has been the Plant Board Superintendent since January 1, 2009, after the retirement of Phil Kennedy.

Stone is working with Bloomfield to be brought up to speed on the operations of the local utility and the projects which are planned and already underway.

“I look forward to working with the Plant Board and Vanceburg city government as we strive to improve and upgrade our utility system,” Stone said.

“I also look forward to working with the people that make up our utility company. Both Eric and Phil Kennedy have praised this group of dedicated employees,” Stone stated. “ I've known the majority of these fine workers most of my life and have a great deal of trust in them and their abilities,” he added.

Stone has worked in industrial accounting for more than 25 years, the past 20 working for Emerson in Maysville and Morehead. He has held various positions of increasing responsibility over those years, most recently as Controller of Maysville operations.

“I will miss the people that I have worked with over the past 20 years,” he said. “But I'm excited about the opportunity to serve my community.”

Stone is a 1984 graduate of Morehead State University where he received a Bachelor of Business Administration with an option in Accounting and a minor in History.  He has also attended numerous seminars over the past 25 years related to various aspects of industry.

“One of the draws in applying for the position is being able to work closer to home and spending more time with my family,” said Stone. He resides in Black Oak with his wife Beth; two sons, Nathaniel, 18, and Landon, 11; and daughter Natalie.

Stone is active in the community and belongs to the Vanceburg Lions Club and the Polar Star Masonic Lodge.  He also works with the local youth sports programs in many ways and attends the First Baptist Church of Vanceburg.

File Photo

Bill Tom Stone will take over the position of Electric Plant Board Superintendent on June 1.

“I hope to live the type of life that I would want my children to live,” he said. “One that honors God and serves the community.”

Stone admits he is stepping into the position during a challenging time with a court mandated project looming which will upgrade the sewer system in Vanceburg, and increasing environmental regulations imposed by various agencies. The sewer upgrade will cost an estimated $6.5 million.

Bloomfield said the project has been his biggest challenge during his time as Plant Board Superintendent.

The Plant Board’s auditor reported to the board in March that the company had a net operating loss of $426,680 for the year ending June 30, 2009. Primarily, he said, due to the true-up with AEP of $467,000, up from about $60,000 the previous year.  AEP also increased wholesale rates to the local utility by 37 percent.

The board was forced to increase electric customer rates by 25 percent at that time. The true-up for this year was announced during the Plant Board’s April meeting and no additional increases are expected for this year.

The Plant Board also followed the recommendation of the auditor, Greg Caudill with Caudill and Associates CPAs in Portsmouth, Ohio, to cease annual payments-in-lieu of taxes to the City of Vanceburg each year and to begin charging the city for utilities it consumes. Caudill cited Kentucky statutes in the recommendations outlined in the audit report.

The payments to the city totaled nearly $290,000 for fiscal 2008-09 and the monthly utility bills the city now pays to the utility company come to about $7,000 a month.

The utility company has 17 employees and supplies electricity to customers from South Shore to Vanceburg; water to customers in Vanceburg, Black Oak, Salt Lick and south to the Carter County line; and natural gas and sewer service to customers in Vanceburg.