Marshall County has a new E-911 Director at the helm.
Marshall County Fiscal Court on Tuesday unanimously voted to confirm LaDonna Coriell as the county’s new E-911 director. Coriell, a Benton resident and Marshall County native, was one of six applicants for the position. She was a former dispatcher for Murray State Univeristy Public Safety during her tenure as a student and Kentucky State Police trooper. She has for the last 29 years been working at USEC – both in Ohio and in Paducah – primarily in security.
“Her skill set is exactly what we were looking for,” Marshall County Judge-Executive Kevin Neal said. “We were definitely looking for some management skills, and she brings that to the table.”
It’s an exciting opportunity for Coriell, who said in a later interview that she’d wanted to work in the county for quite some time.
“The thing that I’m excited about is that I’m able to serve the people in Marshall County,” Coriell said. “This is something that I’ve wanted to do for a long time. Even when I was a trooper, and when I worked out of Post 1, I wasn’t assigned to Marshall County, and I’ve always wanted to be able to be here and serve this group of people, because this is home. I feel like I’ve come home for real instead of living here and being here at night and spending all of my waking hours in McCracken County, now I can do it here for Marshall County, and that’s very exciting for me.”
Her first step, she said, was to spend time getting acclimating and assessing the needs of both the department and its staff. Funding, in particular, is something Coriell said she knew would need to be addressed.
Coriell replaces former director Misti Drew, who was dismissed from the position in September. Neal filed notice to terminate Drew’s employment Sept. 5 on the grounds that she “did not meeting job expectations.” Drew appealed the decision, however the court upheld Neal’s decision following the Sept. 20 appeal hearing.
Coriell officially began her tenure with the county Thursday, Oct. 19.
In addition to confirming the new director, the court introduced an ordinance that would dissolve Sanitation Districts No. 1 and No. 2 – which serve the Aurora and Draffenville communities, respectively – and establish a single countywide sanitation district. The effort comes on the heels of ongoing infrastructure improvements in the two districts, which could total about $7.5 million overall, to be taken in prioritized phases. The county has also worked toward ongoing educational efforts with residents and business owners in District No. 2, to assist in treatment efforts and improved water quality.
If approved the ordinance would, upon a future date determined by the fiscal court, implement a five-member board of directors appointed by the judge-executive and approved by the court to set district policy. Board member terms would be staggered ranging from two to four years, and the district would have the authority to “coordinate, oversee, and regulate the development of wastewater facilities in Marshall County. … the Sanitation District is specifically authorized to develop, acquire, own, manage, and operate wastewater facilities and to discharge the attendant duties and obligations thereof as enumerated in KRS 220.030. To this end, the Sanitation District shall have the authority to inspect, approve, construct, or arrange for the proper de-commissioning of both on-site centralized wastewater management facilities, in cooperation with the Marshall County Health Department and the Division of Water.”
The district would be a non-taxing agency, and would serve the entire county, with the exception of local municipalities (Hardin, Benton and Calvert City) and their respective districts. However, the district would work in collaboration with those municipalities to “plan, develop, regulate and manage on-site and centralized wastewater systems.”
The purpose, as outlined by the ordinance would enable the county to protect its natural water resources, as well as public health and promote economic development.
The court did not discuss the ordinance beyond the first reading in Tuesday’s meeting. The second reading is scheduled to be held at the Nov. 7 meeting.
The court also unanimously adopted a new 35 mph speed limit for the county-owned portion of Olive Hamlett Road, which runs from Ky. Highway 1364 to Ky. Highway 962. The new speed limit comes in response to citizen concerns and evaluation by the County Road Department Superintendent, Wendy Greer.
Speed limit signs were placed along the road Wednesday, and Marshall County Sheriff Kevin Byars said residents would receive a month-long grace period before deputies began enforcing the new limit. Deputies will begin issuing citations for speeding above 35 mph on the road Dec. 1.
In other business, the court:
- Approved a new hire at the Marshall County Sheriff’s Office at $21.44 per hour, effective as of Oct. 2;
- approved a lease with the Marshall County Senior Citizens on the senior citizens center at 1713 Golf Course Road in Benton, contingent on no other previous lease or deed agreements in place that would supercede an agreement;
- approved a memorandum of agreement with property owners on Green Acres Lane to use land as redirect traffic and conduct general excavation work while replacing a box culvert;
- approved a memorandum of agreement with property owners on Walton Lane to use land for the purposes conducting road work to alleviate flooding and ponding issues;
- approved a $3,502.35 payment to the County Clerk’s office for preparing 2017 tax bills;
- adopted an ordinance creating the Marshall County Industrial Authority board; and
- signed a proclamation declaring Nov. 3 as Love Light Tree Day for Marshall County Hospital Auxiliary.
View the full court meeting below.