Breathitt County Fiscal Court met in regular session for forty-eight minutes on Tuesday to consider a short agenda that included opening several bids, considering multiple grants, and accepting several roadways into the county system.
With three members of the court present and Magistrate Brenda Terry joining by teleconference, the members approved the minutes from the December meeting. Still, they amended them later in the meeting after a South Jackson resident requested an alteration.
Corey Goff asked the Court to amend its December minutes to remove allegations made by several residents of South Jackson that Oaks Lane had been blocked and children had been harassed. After some consultation between Assistant County Attorney Travis Terry and County Attorney Brendon Miller, the Court amended the minutes to remove the allegations.
The Court opened four Natural Resource Conservation Service grant bids for projects on Little Buckhorn Road, Leatherwood Road, and Smith’s Branch Road. Multiple bids from Pit Viper, Mudcat, W. R. Miller & Sons, Hinkle, and Blue Rock Construction Companies were opened and announced. The Court approved the bids and voted to forward them for approval and awarding.
The magistrates discussed two bids for a new security camera system for the Breathitt County Courthouse. They approved a $51,300 bid from Inacom IT for a total system replacement and the addition of several cameras.
“It will be a significant upgrade for the safety of the courthouse and visitors,” Dylan Baker told the Fiscal Court.
The magistrates unanimously voted to start the adoption process for Nobles Mountain Road and Cochran Lane.
The court later added Oaks Lane to the list of roadways to adopt, following an agreement with the landowner granting the county a 14-foot easement for access to several house sites and a cemetery. The county agreed to visit the roadway and clearly define the exact length of the easement that Corey Goff was willing to provide to the county.
Breathitt County Recycling Program Director Gordon Hunter discussed the grant priorities for his effort in the coming year. According to Hunter, he is working on grants to purchase six new recycling bins, a cardboard shredder and bailer, and a skid steer that can be used county-wide to clean up illegal dumps.
Hunter also discussed the effort to purchase a tire shredder for the county. He detailed the discussion he had had with other counties and businesses. According to Hunter, if the county were to purchase the tire shredder, it could create approximately eight new jobs and provide opportunities for cooperation with several Eastern Kentucky organizations and businesses.
He discussed the saleable by-products (steel and tire-derived fuel) and the impact the equipment would have on environmental cleanup.
“We can create more jobs, and do it through recycling,” Hunter said.
The court also discussed the possible expansion of the Breathitt County Road Department Garage to accommodate the new tire equipment. Hunter told the magistrates that he and others were working with KRADD and other entities to seek grants and funding for the project.
Judge Jeff Noble briefly discussed several issues with the roof of the old Breathitt County Jail. He told the court that the leaks had developed and were reported about two weeks before the roof's warranty expired. He said that the leaks had been temporarily patched and that the county was awaiting information about the repairs covered by the warranty.
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