[{"_1":2,"_86":-5,"_87":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6511948,"mediaKeyId","5124339-6bc79f479879d65e1e57d8675ba94c32","parentId",5124339,"title","Residents press court on wild-horse problem; county judge says statute limits action without veterinary contracts","audioSeconds",1540,"startMs",1493645,"endMs",3033870,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5124339-6bc79f479879d65e1e57d8675ba94c32&start=1493&end=3033","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5124339-6bc79f479879d65e1e57d8675ba94c32/thumbnail_1493645.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6511948/Pike-County/Kentucky/Residents-press-court-on-wild-horse-problem-county-judge-says-statute-limits-action-without-veterinary-contracts","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6511948-fc9dcbbf9411c63639532e9246ed8c71/orig.mp4?Expires=1771077667&Signature=lYTAe2B6cNdYDu0YAufDgjfX0u0uDQOJcOBKVh7tay6vV0FWgIfSYNCvvhRSQihBXelnDXoWwC9z1hgLVYaNaSKWa5m~hK4qiWcSDpeDI5wqgTB1fDwmYRUiuwwa4vuTnxKmdskM4DN6AQLPBPW5ycYwGqSTeEI9MhROf8tfQRddI6lXwzPEHUQOJfNUIwKIIcPUzxnafuFhX4xXhoS5~1rKBfVwiszCGcth9g4TvQAXnygWPscb~XniqWwmxTzaIfXMjg7z31HK3aHOTRzsU1LK0DvS3YS1-ex1fcJgRHG8yaSmFsdnvtXSbmMKWsPV0LxOXb9dry~A3c8dLNZziQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-07-02T21:20:24Z","article","Roy Coleman and other residents urged the Pike County Fiscal Court on July 1 to address a growing population of free-roaming horses in parts of the county and to pursue humane removal or rescue options.

Coleman told the court the issue extends beyond a single road or district and appealed for a stewardship approach. Quoting Proverbs, Coleman said, “the righteous regardeth the life of his beast,” and urged county officials to find humane solutions rather than seeing horses rounded up for disposal. He said residents across the region are concerned and that they had contacted state senators and other officials about possible remedies.

County Judge Jones responded at length, telling the public that current state law places specific procedural requirements on counties that he described as “virtually impossible to comply” with in practice. Jones said the statute requires the county judge to contract with a veterinarian to examine animals — for brands, tattoos or microchips — and to provide documentation to the state, but that local veterinarians have declined to sign such contracts because of safety and cost concerns. “The statute says that the county judge shall contract with a veterinarian,” Jones said. “We have no pool of money to pay for that,” and he added he was unwilling to sign an order authorizing others to remove horses unless the necessary financial and veterinary arrangements were secured.

Jones said the county has no facility to corral and care for large numbers of horses and that past attempts at rescues were limited by capacity. He noted a state bill that would have clarified the process cleared the Senate but died in the House; officials told the court a similar bill would be refiled during the 2026 legislative session. Jones said he would work with the Kentucky Association of Counties and local legislators to seek statutory clarification and that he planned to convene a meeting to consider contracts and cost commitments from rescues or other groups before signing any removal order.

The court acknowledged public emotion on the subject and signaled intent to pursue legislative and administrative steps rather than authorizing immediate county-led removal in the absence of compliant veterinary contracts and a funding plan.

Court staff and Judge Jones encouraged residents to pursue outreach to legislators and to help identify nonprofits or rescue groups willing to contractually assume required costs; they also advised residents to contact law enforcement or county attorney staff for legal questions about property access and enforcement. Judge Jones said, “Whatever I sign will only be signed if I can guarantee compliance with the statute.”

The court did not take a formal vote on policies for animal removal; instead the recorded outcome was a public discussion and a commitment to pursue statutory clarification and convene interested parties for a future meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Pike County Fiscal Court Meeting - July 1, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","A public commenter and multiple residents urged a humane response to free-roaming horses in eastern Pike County. County Judge Jones outlined statutory requirements, said veterinarians declined to contract under current law and said he will not sign removal orders unless statutory compliance and funding are guaranteed.","taxTitle","Pike County, Kentucky","taxId",72456,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6511953,"Pike County Fiscal Court approves minutes, backs Job Corps resolution, adopts road and authorizes $305,512 for sheriff vehicles",778,42245,820685,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5124339-6bc79f479879d65e1e57d8675ba94c32&start=42&end=820","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5124339-6bc79f479879d65e1e57d8675ba94c32/thumbnail_42245.jpg","/articles/6511953/Pike-County/Kentucky/Pike-County-Fiscal-Court-approves-minutes-backs-Job-Corps-resolution-adopts-road-and-authorizes-305512-for-sheriff-vehicles","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6511953-288fc25667d8573eb93a05054ad72910/orig.mp4?Expires=1771077667&Signature=WLMXYZUiimLdykbhU4emKTH9zCjn8hPEPmZQ7chApyWyMFGy3FY7-0flrIq1Rri4ZLkvzEB9SAMwTinR~4g3X1Ra601uNI8ymXFPHAxaTBOIwNuk-UVIUFqKl8kctVOodno39~9HYkdJo2fiuiibGxj~ovbUvsOCEFE5OHgoVcS8GKovb~~gVjPQvhOlCOOXfYfhg6uFdhaiAFQc-KQM9MEaLdDKv1LmPWzvZ6NU0FHliJJDTTgyIU9Lth-fz8rFw0BPDhupzVciWAV~ZSpgu9vWQ4yziwviCj3Jb4dao~ofzRwoyEVt91cepUZbKPI-G0snaJcFF2yVwhJi7PLfVA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Pike County Fiscal Court on July 1 approved the minutes of its June 17 meeting, adopted a resolution urging continued federal funding for the Carl D. Perkins Job Corps Center, accepted Scotts Bottom Left Road into the county road system and authorized purchase and outfitting of four police-package patrol vehicles, among other routine actions.

The court approved the minutes on a unanimous roll call. Judge Jones introduced a resolution “expressing support for the Carl D. Perkins Jobs Corps Center and urging federal support for that program,” which the court passed unanimously. The court then completed a second reading and adopted an ordinance to accept Scotts Bottom Left Road — described in the meeting as about a tenth of a mile plus 100 feet and 15 feet wide — into the Pike County road system; that motion passed on a unanimous roll call.

The largest single expenditure approved was authorization to purchase four police-package Chevrolet Tahoes at $57,231 each and to upfit them through a contracted vendor. The county recorded the line-item costs in public comment: vehicle price $57,231 each (four vehicles = $228,924) and an upfit cost of $19,147.07 each, bringing the total quoted cost to $305,512.28. The court authorized Sharon (staff member named in the meeting) to submit a coal severance tax drawdown to cover the purchase and authorized the treasurer to pay the vehicles when they arrive. Judge Jones told the court, “If you don't have law enforcement, you don't have anything,” during the vehicle discussion.

Other approved items included a motion to accept completed and scheduled work orders, renewal of multiple standing payment and administrative orders tied to county business (including authorizations for payroll checks, lien processing by the clerk's office and opioid-settlement disbursements), and personnel acknowledgements: extension of medical leave for Jeffrey Wayne Taggart (up to six months, per written request), reassignment of Shawn West with no change in pay effective July 6, 2025, and acceptance of resignations for two public-works employees with effective dates provided in the meeting. All recorded roll-call votes on the items passed with Commissioner Scott, Commissioner Atkins and Commissioner Lewis voting yes and Judge Jones voting yes.

The county noted timing and procurement caveats tied to the vehicle purchase: the vendor’s delivery window was described as arriving in August or September with upfitting requiring six to eight weeks, making October–November the probable operational timeframe. Court members also discussed procurement rules and the limits of buying locally when state-contracted police-package vehicles are involved; one court member said local dealers often cannot supply the police-package configuration and pointed to state-contracted suppliers as the usual source.

The court heard brief updates on a planned bid for Grapevine Park bathroom renovations and a roads-and-stone procurement report showing most class-3 rock purchases over the preceding year came from a single bidder, Pine Mountain Stone; that procurement discussion was used to justify out-of-county purchases when sole vendors supply necessary materials.

Votes at a glance:
- Approval of minutes (June 17): motion made and seconded; roll call: Commissioner Scott — yes; Commissioner Atkins — yes; Commissioner Lewis — yes; Judge Jones — yes. Outcome: approved.
- Resolution supporting Carl D. Perkins Job Corps Center and urging federal funding: motion seconded by Commissioner Atkins; roll call: Scott — yes; Atkins — yes; Lewis — yes; Judge Jones — yes. Outcome: approved.
- Ordinance (second reading) to adopt Scotts Bottom Left Road into the Pike County road system (described as ~0.1 mile + 100 ft, 15 ft wide): motion made and seconded; roll call: Scott — yes; Atkins — yes; Lewis — yes; Judge Jones — yes. Outcome: adopted.
- Authorization to purchase and outfit four police-package vehicles (vehicles from Bachmann Commercial; upfits via L and W equipment) and authorization for submission of coal severance tax drawdown and treasurer payment: motion made and seconded (mover/second not clearly recorded in transcript); roll call: Scott — yes; Atkins — yes; Lewis — yes; Judge Jones — yes. Outcome: approved. Cost details recorded in meeting: $57,231 per vehicle; upfit $19,147.07 per vehicle; total $305,512.28; delivery/upfit timeline roughly Aug–Nov.
- Approval of completed and scheduled work orders: motion and second; roll call recorded as unanimous. Outcome: approved.
- Renewal of standing orders for routine payments and clerical authorizations (including payroll training incentives, lien processing, solid-waste billing mailings, opioid-settlement checks, and other pass-throughs): motion made and seconded (second by Commissioner Lewis); roll call recorded as unanimous. Outcome: approved.
- Personnel acknowledgements (medical leave for Jeffrey Wayne Taggart; transfer of Shawn West effective 07/06/2025; resignations accepted for two solid-waste/public-works employees with dates specified): motion made, seconded; roll call recorded as unanimous. Outcome: acknowledged/approved.

The court did not hold an executive session. Several members said procurement and grants have helped modernize the sheriff's office equipment and radios over the past years. Court members asked staff to make additional vendor checks (Judge Jones asked staff to contact local dealers to compare availability/price and to report back); they also reserved the option to rescind the vehicle authorization at the next meeting if local availability matched the state contract price.

The court gave no timetable for the House Bill cited during the vehicle discussion; members noted the county’s authority to draw down coal severance taxes but did not specify the statutory citation during the meeting.

Next steps recorded in the meeting: staff will follow up on local procurement checks and vendor availability for the police-package vehicles and will proceed with the drawdown paperwork if the county moves forward.","At its July 1 meeting the Pike County Fiscal Court approved routine minutes, passed a resolution urging federal support for the Carl D. Perkins Job Corps Center, accepted a short private road into the county system and authorized purchase and outfitting of four police-package vehicles using a coal severance tax drawdown.","actionData","errors"]

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Residents press court on wild-horse problem; county judge says statute limits action without veterinary contracts

Pike County Fiscal Court approves minutes, backs Job Corps resolution, adopts road and authorizes $305,512 for sheriff vehicles