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Board of Health considers employees' grievances

By Al Owens
Last Thursday night the Lewis County Board of Health met in a follow up session to a meeting held on August 19.

At the August meeting six Health Department employees filed eight pages of grievances against Health Department Director Kathleen Ginn. At that time Ginn was put on a 14-day leave with pay so she could prepare to answer the grievances filed against her.

At last week's meeting held in the third floor courtroom of the Lewis County Courthouse the board called the meeting to order and immediately went into closed session to discuss the personnel matter.

Over 50 people attended the meeting, and they were asked to wait outside the courtroom while the Board of Health discussed the situation.

The closed session lasted for one hour and ten minutes. Upon re-entering open session a motion was quickly made to extend and/or impose a special leave to Kathleen Ginn, Lewis County Public Health Administrator, for investigative purposes up to and including September 30, 2004, with the reasons for the leave to be set forth in a letter drafted by the Chairman of the Board and the County Attorney pursuant to discussions held in the closed session.

No public mention was made at either of the meetings regarding the specific grievances the six workers filed against Ginn.

After the motion carried the board immediately adjourned the session without further comment.

Unemployment up in Lewis for July

Unemployment rates fell in 102 Kentucky counties between July 2003 and July 2004, rose in 16 and remained the same in Jessamine and Magoffin counties, according to the Kentucky Office of Employment and Training in the Education Cabinet.
In July 2004, five counties had jobless rates at or above 10 percent, and 24 counties recorded double-digit rates in July 2003.

Elliott County recorded the state's highest unemployment rate - 15.3 percent. It was followed by Carter County, 14.5 percent; Magoffin County, 14 percent; Lewis County, 11.8 percent; Morgan County, 10.8 percent; Wolfe County, 9.9 percent; Montgomery County, 9.6 percent; Fulton and Hardin counties, 9.4 percent each; and Powell County, 9.3 percent.

Lewis County's 11.8 percent was up from the 11.0 percent recorded in June, and also up from the 10.2 percent rate in July of 2003.

Woodford County's 2.4 percent jobless rate was the lowest in the commonwealth. Other low rates were recorded in Oldham County, 2.8 percent; Fayette County, 3 percent; Anderson and Franklin counties, 3.1 percent; Caldwell County, 3.5 percent; Henry County, 3.6 percent; and Jessamine, Mercer and Pulaski counties, 3.7 percent each.

Unemployment rates for July in neighboring counties are as follows:
Fleming County posted 7.9 percent, up from 5.7 percent in June and 5.7 percent a year ago; Mason County was 5.9 percent, up from 5.2 percent in June and 5.7 percent in July of 2003; Rowan County was 5.9 percent in July, up from 4.9 percent in June, but down from 6.7 percent a year ago.

Carter County was 14.5 percent, down from 15.0 percent in June and 14.9 percent a year ago; Greenup County was 5.9 percent, down from 7.7 percent in June and 7.9 percent last year.

Unemployment statistics are based on estimates and are compiled to measure trends rather than actually to count people working. Civilian labor force statistics include non-military workers and unemployed Kentuckians who are actively seeking work. They do not include unemployed Kentuckians who have not looked for employment within the past four weeks. The statistics in this news release are not seasonally adjusted to allow for comparisons between United States, state and counties figures.

School Fair opens September 14

The annual Lewis County School and Agricultural Fair is scheduled to begin Tuesday, September 14, and will run through Saturday, September 18.
Schedule of events on Tuesday begins with the baby show in the Lewis County High School auditorium. Registration is from 5:00 p.m. until the show begins at 6:00 p.m. Ages are from birth through 25 months. The show is under the direction of the Lewis County Health Department.

On Wednesday and Thursday, beauty pageants will be held in the auditorium starting at 6:00 p.m. Pageants are Tiny Miss and Mister, Little Miss and Mister, Junior Miss and Miss Pre-Teen on Wednesday. Miss teen Lewis County and Miss Lewis County pageants will be held Thursday.

Also, on Wednesday evening, the band "The Subjects" will be performing at 8:00 p.m.
Friday night will feature the Paul Westerfield Bowl with Lewis County taking on Fleming County at 7:30 p.m.

The annual School Fair Parade will be held at 9:30 a.m. on Saturday and the horse show gets underway at 7:00 p.m.

Special rides will be offered each evening from 6:00 to 10:00 p.m., and on Saturday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m.

Admission is $3 for adults and $1 for students.

Photo Catch

The Lewis County Phase I Committee,as well as citizens of Lewis County, would like to wish Ag Extension agent Richard Bowling (fourth from left) fond farewill and Godspeed in his new job. He will be missed by everyone.

Paula Franke/Lewis County Herald

Lewis County Judge Executive Steve Applegate prepares to cut the ribbon for the grand opening Wednesday morning of Ron's IGA in Tollesboro.

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