LENNIE COLLINS NAMED NEWEST LC LIBRARY BOARD MEMBER…
By Susan Salyer
The Lawrence County Fiscal Court had a Regular Scheduled Meeting on October 17, 2023 at 10AM, Lawrence County Courthouse, 122 S Main Cross, Downtown 2nd Floor, Louisa, Kentucky. LC Judge Executive Phillip Carter was in attendance along with Lawrence County Magistrates David Pinson, Rick Blackburn, Michael ‘Mouse’ Halcomb and John Scaggs.
The LC Fiscal Court unanimously passed ALL AGENDA ITEMS.
Almost two months after State Auditor Michael Harmon blasted the Lawrence County Fiscal Court with five counts of unethical behavior including nepotism and possible misuse of federal funding, no mention was made of the report again this month at the court’s regular meeting.
Instead, judge/executive Phillip L. Carter “muffled” the part of today’s meeting which concerned an amendment to the ethics code adopted by the county 20 years ago. Co. Treasurer Josh Puckett rushed through the amendment and it was impossible to hear anything he said and clerk Chris Jobe could not be reached for comment after the meeting to see what the minutes of the meeting will say.
And LC’s Carter skipped over number 9 on the Agenda. LC Clerk Chris Jobe told Judge Carter that he forgot number 9 on the Agenda and Judge Carter said he was skipping that item, ‘Electrical Inspector Fee’.
Library News
Carter announced that Lennie Collins, 66, of Louisa would be the newest member of the LC Library Board. LC Magistrate David Pinson made the Motion 2nd by Michael Mouse Halcomb. None Opposed. The court had earlier (last month) APPOINTED James Allen Pauley-Barker, 51, to a similar post after the resignation of former member Scott Osborne who has moved from the district.
“The Lawrence County Public Library Board of Trustees welcome James Pauley-Barker and Lennie Collins as trustees to advocate for the library and the community it serves,” LC Library director Carlie Pelfrey said today. (Tuesday)
Ethics?
The Second Reading of the Ethics Amendment was read by LC Treasurer Josh Puckett.
(The ethics commission motion was not audible either on the video nor in person as Puckett had his back to the audience. Carter has ordered the Lazer back 200 feet (FEELS LIKE THAT FAR, ANYWAY) from the rostrum and has public speakers with their backs to audience and media cameras).
The ethics commission issue is important as Carter and the fiscal court were hit with a five count ethics code violation charge by the Kentucky State Auditor last month. A majority of Lawrence County voters want a seven member ethics commission made up of four Republicans (majority party) and three Democrats with the Chairperson elected by the group. (See LC Ethics Code in Clerk Chris Jobe’s office and on his website as the law requires.)
But the fiscal court has instead voted to shrink the number of members of the Ethics Commission to three (3) all appointed by the judge and magistrates.
Here is the new ethics code provided by Crystal Smith of County Clerk Chris Job’s office, who takes the official minutes:
AMENDED ETHICS CODE, LAWRENCE COUNTY, KY
Motion to accept the Second Reading was made by David Pinson 2nd by Rick Blackburn.
PREVIOUS ETHICS CODE LAST AMENDED 1999
CLICK HERE
County Ethics CodeEconomic development
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
LC’s Carter said, “Lawrence County, Kentucky will now be an equal partner with East Park as far as taxes are concerned, payroll taxes. There are five counties, and each county will receive 20% of the taxes shared equally between the counties.” East Park is a five county industrial park located in Greenup County which is designed to bring multi-job businesses to the region. Lawrence County is one of the five county equal owners.
“There are some businesses moving in, it’s beginning to move forward, the 2 spec buildings have prospects.”
The Fiscal Court passed this amendment with a Motion by Rick Blackburn 2nd by Michael Mouse Halcomb. None Opposed. Roll Call. (SEE VIDEO)
PUBLIC COMMENTS
Dr. Robbie Fletcher, Superintendent of Lawrence County Schools, spoke at length about the Double Nickel Tax the LC Board of Education has placed on property tax owners here. The issue has been brought to a vote by groups of citizens who oppose the tax and the manner in which it was implemented. The vote ‘No’ or ‘Yes’ will take place on Nov. 7, 2023.
Again, Fletcher could not be heard by anyone except the court with his back to the audience and the already muffled sound of the court’s mics. He handed out flyers which gave the BOE’s side of the double nickel tax which he said would be widely spread throughout the community.
Lawrence County Sheriff, Chuck Jackson spoke about the Lawrence County Park Haunted Hayride. The sheriff explained how all workers at the popular ‘family environment’ adventure sponsored by the Fiscal Court, the Sheriff’s Office and ‘A Ray of Hope’.
AGENDA
1. Opening Prayer
2. Pledge of Allegiance
3. Call Meeting to Order
4. Approve Minutes from September 19th Regular Meeting – Motion by David Pinson 2nd by Rick Blackburn. None Opposed. Roll Call. (SEE VIDEO)
5. Approve Bills – Motion by Michael Mouse Halcomb 2nd by David Pinson. None Opposed. Roll Call. (SEE VIDEO)
6. Approve Treasurers Report – Motion by Rick Blackburn 2nd by Michael Mouse Halcomb. None Opposed. Roll Call. (SEE VIDEO)
7. Approve Treasurers Request – Motion by John Scaggs 2nd by Rick Blackburn. None Opposed. Roll Call. (SEE VIDEO)
8. Resolution for Discretionary Funds Roe Creek Road – Motion by Michael Mouse Halcomb 2nd by David Pinson. None Opposed. Roll Call. (SEE VIDEO)
9. Electrical Inspector Fee – Skipped by LC Judge Phillip Carter. (SEE VIDEO)
10. Approve Spay/Neuter MOA – Motion by Rick Blackburn 2nd by Michael Mouse Halcomb. None Opposed. Roll Call.
11. Public Comments –
12. Adjourn – Motion by Rick Blackburn 2nd by Michael Mouse Halcomb.
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The next LC Fiscal Court Regular Monthly Meeting will be on Tuesday November 21, 2023 at 10AM at the Lawrence County Courthouse, 122 S. Main Street, Downtown 2nd Floor, Louisa, Kentucky.
I’m liking Carter better with each meeting. 😂
Carter has ordered the Lazer back 200ft? Do you realize that is 2/3 of a football field? I doubt the courtroom is that big.
Sorry John, that was sort of an exaggeration but you got the point…too far to hear or see anything plainly in order to keep media away. We have video of the 37 minute meeting which shows how far back it is and the muffled sound.
200′? Wouldn’t that be way outside the building itself?
Fake news. Main stream media style.
The “exaggeration” added is why people deem the site as a personal blog instead of a legit news source. So, as readers, what are we supposed to believe within every article? Is all of it one person’s opinion or does it contain any facts at all? How are readers supposed to discern this? As far as I can tell now everything on this site is fake and/or full of false statements. SAD!!!
Thanks for reading no matter what you think. My feeling is that you don’t like the truth so you call it all lies. I say PROVE IT. Put your money where your mouth is. No, didn’t think so when you didn’t use your real name to complain. At least all our reporters are from Lawrence County.
That’s how the Trumpsters roll if it is something they don’t like blame the media.
But when the state auditor writes a report to tell the judge to write his ship and is from the same party he needs to do it.
The TDS runs deep in this one.
Has nothing to do with TDS. Wouldn’t it better to just read actual facts? No matter who it is about or which political party? Why couldn’t the writer just state where they where required to sit during the meeting or how many feet exactly the media was required to be back from the court? Stating the facts instead of making up stuff should be what “news” sources write.
So Phil gets caught giving jobs to his family, that violated the ethics code…… and what does he do?…. he changes the ethics code so he can keep doing it… yeah that sounds about right… and instead of appointing a committee correctly…. he changes it so he can put 3 yes men on the committee for the next time someone says he’s broke ethics code… how is this legal?
Phil gets ‘er done.
Phil knows how to get things done. He has done more for Lawrence County than ANY of the previous judges in Lawrence County history!!