7-13-11 — County employees will receive a 17 cent per hour pay increase this year, following action taken by the fiscal court during a meeting held on Tuesday, July 12.

The pay raise was based on the 1.49 percent cost of living adjustment. Instead of giving an acrosss-the-board percentage rate— which means a higher raise for employees who have higher wages—County Judge-Executive Greg Rankin explained that an average wage was used to figure the actual per hour increase.

Rankin noted that the raise is included in the county's budget.

In other action, the court discussed the Farmers Market project.

Rankin told magistrates that bids for the construction project had been opened the previous week, and both bids that were received were well above the budget.

Rankin noted that the architect for the Farmers Market project is working with contractors to see what changes can be made to the project to get it more in line with the budget. He said the court may need to meet in special session to take action in regard to the bids.

Wayne County's four magisterial districts will remain the same, according to a recommendation made by the Reapportionment Committee.

The committee, which works with the Lake Cumberland Area Development District, is required to check the populations in each district following a census.

According to the report, the populations are: District One-5,166; District Two-5,425; District 3-5,000; and District Four-5,232. That means that the districts fall within the requirements and no changes are necessary, according to Rankin.

The court is required to approve an ordinance based on the recommendation.

The county will provide its annual monetary support to the Airport Board, following action by the court. But it will also provide some more assistance, according to Rankin.

The past couple of years, audits of the Airport Board, which fall under the umbrella of the fiscal court, have outlined several problems. Rankin noted that there has been no issue of wrongdoing regarding Airport Board money.

He explained that after speaking with auditors and the Airport Board members, the county will take over bookkeeping duties for the organization. That will ensure that all records will be kept in the same fashion as the fiscal court's and it should alleviate any audit issues.

Also during the meeting, the court:

• Approved the adoption of Parmely-Griggs Loop into the county road system.

• Approved the sheriff's tax settlement.

• Approved the reappointment of Bill Inman an Glenn Dodson to the Airport Board.

• Approved a map correction removing Huddleston Road as a county road.

• Heard a monthly report from Jailer Ray Upchurch who noted that the current population at the Detention Center is 181, which includes 80 county inmates and 101 state inmates. The county has billed a total of $100,181.02 for housing inmates in the month of June. Upchurch also presented the court with a $5,000 check from the canteen fund to cover a budget shortfall last fiscal year.

• Heard a report from Solid Waste Coordinator Tim Bell who noted that white goods had been collected at 106 households last month, bringing the total for the year to 473. Recyleable sales for the month of June totaled $9,327.63, bringing the total for the year to $58,023.36.

• Heard a monthly report from Wayne County EMS Director Bubby Corder who noted that the ambulance service answered 283 calls in the month of June, bringing the total for the year to 1,735. EMS had its yearly state inspection from the Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services and passed with no deficiencies, Corder told the magistrates.