LAWRENCE FISCAL COURT LEASES DOZER, HEARS GOOD NEWS ABOUT POPULATION GROWTH

LOUISA, KY. — OCTOBER’S regular Lawrence Co. fiscal court meeting Tuesday morning started with the usual business and ended with information about the county’s growth during the past ten years.

All court members were present including magistrates John Scaggs, Michael “Mouse” Halcomb, David Pinson and Rick Blackburn and judge/executive Phillip Carter along with county attorney Brad Derifield, clerk Chris Jobe, and sheriff Chuck Jackson.

Guests included Lawrence Schools chief Dr. Rob Fletcher and census worker James Allen Pauley- Barker.

Here’s a look at the agenda:

Lawrence County Fiscal Court

October 19, 2021

Regular Meeting Agenda

 10:00 a.m.

1.   Opening Prayer

2.   Pledge of Allegiance

3.   Call Meeting to Order

4.   Approve Minutes of the September 21^st, 2021, Regular Meeting 

5.   Approve Minutes of the October 08^th, 2021 Special Meeting

6.   Approve 1^st Reading of Budget Amendment # 2

7.   Approve Treasurers Request

8.   Approve Bills

9.   Accept Treasurer’s Report 

Judge/Executive Phillip Carter spoke for the court in issuing condolences to David Pinson’s family after the loss of his mother this past week.

10.  Authorize Clerk to Advertise for FEMA Steel Jobs and Cribbing

Motion Mike Halcomb, second by John Scaggs.

11.  Approve 1^st Reading of FEMA Finance Ordinance

Motion Rick Blackburn, second Mike Halcomb

12.  Approve Resolution for Interlocal Agreement for Bond Pool

Motion Rick Blackburn, second David Pinson

13.  Open Bids on Dozer.

The dozer bidding included only one participant, Amber Lee Contractors, which was for $63,204 on a one year lease purchase plan.

• Mike Halcomb motioned the court to accept a small road with four houses into the county road plan. It is located near 1496 and is to be called “Sunshine Ridge Road. The second was made by David Pinson and the vote was unanimous to turn it over to county attorney Brad Derifield to research.

Public Comments 

• Lawrence County supt. Dr. Rob Fletcher attended the meeting to inform the court of the school system’s recent success in sports including football, girls and boys Soccer, cross country and others. He thanked the court for their support during this school year.

“We’re really proud of the success of our programs especially during this covid-19 cloud we’ve been operating under,” Fletcher said. Assistant Judge /Executive Vince Doty called Fletcher “the best superintendent in the state.”

• Next James Pauley-Barker informed the court of the work put in by a local committee on the census report for Lawrence County. Every ten years the nation requires a count of its citizens in order to determine membership in the government.

The 2020 Complete Count Committee went to work last year to encourage the counting of every person possible in Lawrence County and that they did, Pauley-Barker said.

The committee consisted of Pauley-Barker as Chair, David Prince and James Ellis as co-chairs, Shawna Marcum as Secretary-Treas., and members Chris Jobe, Chuck Price, Sherry Dixon Littleton and Daniel Castle.

He said out of the six tracts in Lawrence Co. the self reporting rate was an average of 67.95% and the population is set at 16,293, a 2% increase since the 2010 census. Matter of fact, Pauley-Barker said Lawrence is the only county in eastern Kentucky to show an increase.

“The thing I’d like to pass on the the court is the importance of starting immediately on the next ten years,” Pauley-Barker said. “It is so important to get everyone counted.”

He said there will be redistricting of state senate and representative seats next May even though there is a Primary election scheduled at almost the same time. County Clerk Chris Jobe checked on how it will work if a representative get’s his or her district changed would they have to register again for the new district? He got no answer from state officials as to how it will be handled.

Jobe said candidates can begin for file for county offices on November 3 and they can pick up their packets any time since he has them ready.

• Sheriff Chuck Jackson spoke to the court about the success, so far, of the county tax collection which can be paid online and by mail under Jackson’s leadership. “We are ahead of last year’s collections already,” Jackson told the court. “We are also opening a half day on Saturday for the public’s convenience.”

He also mentioned the public’s opportunity to donated slightly used Halloween outfits to the sheriff’s office to be distributed to some of the families who need them. They are also having a Christmas program to collect toys for the kids. Jackson said his office is looking for families that may need the Halloween costumes and/or the Christmas gifts.

• Judge Carter reminded the court of the ongoing Haunted Hayride going on each weekend at the Yatesville Park.$7 gets a person a freaky experience in Lawrence County.
• Adjourn