Wayne County Outlook

Fiscal Court approves its own proposal for county fire protection
MELODIE PHELPS
News Editor

After two work sessions and quite a bit of discussion, Wayne County

Fiscal Court approved a proposal of its own for countywide fire protection.

But the dollar amount is less than the one originally proposed by the

Monticello City Council.

Currently, the city is providing fire protection to county residents

under a contract extension that will expire at the end of this month. The

city had presented the county with a proposed contract that called for an

increase in the annual fee from $88,000 to $104,000.

District Four Magistrate Wade Upchurch, who read the proposal during the

fiscal court meeting last Thursday morning, said that the county used the

$88,000 annual figure, the last fire protection agreement, as a starting

point. Then, the county factored in the existence of the Susie Fire

Department, as well as the county�s operation of the ambulance service to

reach the $70,000 they propose to pay the city for fire protection.

According to the proposal, which was approved unanimously by the court,

the county proposes that $15,000 be deducted in consideration of the Susie

Fire Department.

The proposal also noted that the county has taken over the ambulance

service, which is utilized for both city and county residents.

�Under no circumstance will we not serve every citizen, whether they

live in the city or outside the city, to the best of our ability,� states

the proposal. �But in working together and building a working relationship

and due to the expense of this service, we feel it is a reasonable

consideration for a further reduction of $25,000.�

The proposal noted that the $70,000 figure be increased or decreased

annually based on the city�s increase or decrease in expenditures. The

proposal also requests that any future rural fire departments be considered

as part of the agreement. For example, if a fire station is started in the

Mill Springs area in the next several years, then the county requests that

the annual payment for fire protection be reduced in consideration of that

department.

The proposal does state that the annual amount paid by the county to the

city for fire protection would never be less than $50,000.

�This is not about money, this is about principal,� stated Upchurch.

Upchurch said that he would like to see the county and city work �in a

compromise direction� on the fire agreement.

The proposal now goes to city council for action.

Early in Thursday�s meeting, Gormon Shelley with the District 8 Highway

Department, presented his recommendations for road work in Wayne County for

2005-2006. Shelley noted that $837,700 had been allocated for the Rural

Secondary Road Program in Wayne County. Of that, $395,400 will be spent for

maintenance. The remainder, $442,300, will be spent on four resurfacing

projects.

Following are the recommendations presented by Shelley and approved by

the court:

?Resurfacing of KY 84 from the junction of KY 200 to the junction of KY

90, a total of 3.83 miles at an estimated cost of $152,450.

?Resurfacing of KY 3282 (Mystic View Road) from the junction of KY 1383

to the junction of KY 90, a total of 2.55 miles at an estimated cost of

$79,550.

?Resurfacing KY 1546 from the entrance to the Boys Camp to the junction

with North Murl Road, a total of 3.62 miles at an estimated cost of

$142,100.

?Resurfacing of KY 3284 (Frisby Lane) from the junction of Pearl Smith

Road to the junction of KY 92, a total of 2.12 miles at an estimated cost of

$67,950.

The court discussed the funding that Wayne County�s broadband project

received in the recently approved state budget. The project was awarded $1

million, according to Upchurch, who serves as chairman of the

Telecommunications Board.

The funding was included in the state budget last year, but the budget

did not receive approval from the legislature. Upchurch expressed

appreciation to state lawmakers who were involved in getting the funding in

the budget.

County Judge-Exeuctive Bruce Ramsey noted that several other water

projects were also funded for the county during the recent legislative

session. These totaled $300,000 and included expansions in Harmon Hollow,

Johnson Fork, Coopersville Ridge, Buffalo Springs and Flat Springs.

Magistrates approved a lease and reimbursement agreement with the

Administrative Office of the Courts regarding maintenance for the new

Justice Center. Ramsey recommended that Tony Jones, who is in charge of

maintenance at the courthouse and several other county facilities, also

provide services for the Justice Center on a half-time basis at a salary of

$16 per hour.

Ramsey also recommended that Karen Pratt be hired on a full-time basis

at the Justice Center at a salary of $7.99 per hour and that Steve McClellan

be hired part-time at the Justice Center at $7.99 per hour.

Ramsey noted that the AOC has worked out a reimbursement agreement with

the Sheriff�s Department in regard to security personnel for the Justice

Center.

In other action, the court:

?Adopted an additional 261 feet of the Frank Bell Road into the county

road system.

?Approved the financial statement presented by County Court Clerk Carol

Jones. Jones said that her office had a total of $132,520 in excess fees.

?Agreed to advertise for two litter abatement officers.

?Reappointed David Frost as Search and Rescue Coordinator.

?Agreed to advertise to adopt the Tom O�Ryan Road into the county road

system.

?Agreed to advertise for the removal of 500 feet of Musket Spur Road

from the county road system.

?Heard a monthly report from Jailer Ray Upchurch, who noted the current

population at the Detention Center is 190 inmates. The Detention Center

received a check in the amount of $84,778.98 for the month of January. They

have billed the state for $76,189.74 for the month of February.

?Heard a report from Solid Waste Coordinator Andrew Parmley who noted

that the Ritner Road dumpsite has been cleaned at a cost of $23,800. The

state will pay for 75 percent of the cleanup effort. Parmley also noted he

has received $2,350 in donations for the local cleanup.

?Heard a report for Wayne County Emergency Services Director Bubby

Corder, who noted that the ambulance service has responded to 578 calls

since January 1. He noted that the tornado sirens had been tested and that

two of them were not operational at this time. The company will come and

check on those two sirens.

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