BENTON – [VIDEO FOLLOWS REPORT] Marshall County Fiscal Court met in regular session on Tuesday, August 2nd. Guests who appeared before the court were from the Merryman House Domestic Crisis Center and Happy Feet Equals Learning Feet, a program that began in 2009.
Merryman House
Gina Leeper, campaign chair for the Merryman House, along with Mary Foley, Executive Director and Crystal Reid, Board Chairman, presented to the Fiscal Court information and awareness on the services the Merryman House Domestic Crisis Center has provided to our community for over 40 years.
They serve the eight-county Purchase region of Western Kentucky and are more than just an emergency shelter, offering a 24-bed shelter located in Paducah for all eight counties to utilize and have four out-reach offices in Marshall County located in the courthouse, Calloway County, Graves County and McCracken County.
The Merryman House serves approximately 750 people each year and has been given the opportunity to purchase 26 acres of property in Paducah which will allow them to have a 36-bed shelter, along with room for many more in-patient services important to the care of their residents as well as a community mental health center with out-patient care.
The Merryman House will close on this property on September 26th and are in the middle of a 3.7 million dollar capital campaign for the project. This will be a state model on how to respond to these issues that affect residents of our community.
Happy Feet Equals Learning Feet
Jerry Baird with “Happy Feet Equals Learning Feet” spoke to the court about their non-profit organization that provides shoes for disadvantaged children. They are pursuing donations for this school year and in 2015 provided 142 pairs of shoes to Marshall County students.
Happy Feet is completely funded by tax deductible donations. More information can be found on the Marshall County Happy Feet Facebook page and donations can be mailed to Marshall County Happy Feet, c/o Shirley Hendrix, P.O. Box 296, Clay, KY 42404.
OLD BUSINESS
Cypress Creek Watershed
The Marshall County Conservation District invites the community to attend a meeting on August 9th from 1:00-2:00 pm at the Calvert City Library to learn more about the watershed study being conducted at the Cypress Creek watershed near Calvert City by the Kentucky Division of Water.
UK Dentistry Clinic
UK Dentistry West Regional Clinic is offering comprehensive general dental services for special needs patients, babies, children and adults at the Marshall County Health Department. The hours are Monday-Friday, 8:00-4:30 and the phone number is 270-527-8441.
OLD BUSINESS
Nuisance Ordinance
County Attorney Jeff Edwards read the 2nd reading of the ordinance, a comprehensive nuisance property ordinance from the state that Marshall County approved the adoption of with changes where appropriate.
Commissioner Rick Cocke questioned the revenue to fund the nuisance ordinance, which is something that has been an issue in the past. All agreed that the county needs to clean up nuisance properties and will spend money doing it, with not much success collecting fines to offset some of the cost.
Green Oaks Lane
Attorney Marty Johnson, representing a family who has purchased property that abuts the physical end of the lane at the cul-de-sac, is seeking access to a small area of green space between the roadway and the property. In order to maintain a driveway from the ending of Green Oaks Lane, the property owners ask for permission through a resolution to that space for access to their property. According to Johnson, the cul-de-sac stops short of the property and is not finished out to the boundary of the property. The 25-acre tract purchased is not part of the subdivision but will be allowed to access Green Oaks Lane with a driveway, according to documentation on record.
FOG Management Program
A 2nd reading of the Fats, Oils and Greese (FOG) Management Program Ordinance, required by the Kentucky Department of Environmental Protection, was approved.
Ambulance Ventilators Bid
One bid received for three portable transport ventilators from Revel Ventilators in the amount of $46,500 was approved by the court. The newer technology will be a huge asset and provide better patient care while in the ambulance.
Top Soil Bid
One bid was received for top soil for Mike Miller Park for use on athletic fields totaling $17,895 with no delivery price added. Dennis Foust, Parks Director, felt this bid was high plus due to the current demands on the Road Department, they will look at other alternatives.
Document Management Bid
Municipal Code Corporation bid in the amount of $37,807 was approved by the court.
Fairdealing Olive Fire Department
Board minutes concerning the paving of their parking lot which the Fiscal Court will pay in the amount of $5,000 to be paid back over a three year period, was approved.
NEW BUSINESS
Shar Cal Bridge
A bid advertisement for the Shar Cal Bridge removal was approved. Eventually the bridge will be replaced with the hope of replacing it with a two-lane bridge. The court hopes to have money from FEMA in the future to replace the bridge.
Chamber of Commerce
The court approved their Chamber of Commerce membership dues in the amount of $1,100.
Energy Systems Group
The Energy Systems Group will conduct a preliminary feasibility assessment to find areas that could save the county money.
Building Fee Schedule
Amendments were approved to the building fee ordinance wording and under the specialized fee section covering spectator seating, a fee schedule will be added. Under the electrical permit fee schedule, created by the state in 2010, there has been a change this year to a new fee schedule from 5% permit fee to 2%.
An agreement for an alternate inspector under the current system was approved. It allows the county to state it wants a back up to the current electrical inspector to relieve some of the job load or due to illness.
Sanitation District #2
Board member Melissa Hale has resigned and the appointment of Alan Beard was approved.
Rivercrest has put together a list of items of violations that need to be fixed and a list of equipment that needs to be updated or replaced. A loan in the amount of $330,000 will help them make the needed changes. Two tanks are now up and running at the district. With this loan they currently owe the court over $700,000 but the more important issue, the commissioners agree, is to get the district in compliance and good working order.
South Marshall Fire Department
The district’s budget was presented to the court for review.
Marshall County Hospital
The audit for the 2015 Fiscal Year is available for the court’s review.
Projected Hotmix Roads
Due to the July 3rd storm damage to the county roads, the repairs for those roads should take priority. Judge Neal would like to take the 2016 funds for the county road repairs and move them to repairs needed for storm damaged roads. If all the monies are not used, they plan to go back to the original list of road repairs for 2016 and identify which ones to use the remaining funds on. The plan is to re-evaluate the roads in need of repair next spring.
Salary Schedule
A rate error was corrected on page five and approved.
Deputy and Assistant’s Amended Order
The court approved the amended maximum amount to take in $4,000 in KLEFPF which sets the maximum amount which the Sheriff may expend from fees during 2016 at $1,288,600 for deputies, assistants and other employees.
The next meeting of the Fiscal Court will be Tuesday, August 16th at 9:30 am.