Gallatin County Fiscal Court approves agenda, budget moves, voting-machine purchases and grant resolutions

Gallatin County Fiscal Court on March 12 approved the meeting agenda and a package of routine financial motions, adopted a budget amendment and passed resolutions that enable federal grant funds to flow to local programs. The court also accepted a voting-machine maintenance agreement and approved buying two replacement voting machines.

The actions matter because they finalize county budget adjustments and enable delivery of grant funds and election equipment the county says it needs before the 2025 elections. Several votes were routine; a few drew brief discussion about timing and vendor costs.

The court voted to approve the agenda and monthly bills by motion and voice vote. It approved the February fund cash statement and a set of budget transfers totaling $5,900. The court approved interfund cash transfers (general fund to ambulance, and other interfund moves as presented) by motion. A second-reading budget amendment (identified in the packet as 4021725) accepting a $500 donation to the fairgrounds project was approved on the record as the second and final reading.

The court heard and approved a first-reading budget amendment associated with ordinance 031325 that the clerk described as recognizing unbudgeted receipts from excess fees (including sheriff and county clerk excess fees), grant receipts and insurance reimbursements. The clerk listed a total for that amendment of $410,237; the court moved the item forward on first reading.

On elections equipment, the county clerk presented a maintenance agreement for existing voting machines and a separate purchase request for two additional machines. The clerk said a spare machine was deployed in November when a machine at a busy vote center failed and that having only one spare leaves tally centers vulnerable. The court voted to accept the maintenance agreement and approved purchasing two machines for $13,007.02 (purchase quote as presented). During the maintenance-agreement vote one member recorded opposition on the floor; the action nevertheless passed.

The court adopted a resolution approving the Northern Kentucky Area Development District Title VI program plan and paperwork needed to pass federal pharmacy grant funds to Triad; the reading stated that passing the plan allows the area development district to pass grant funds, and the clerk said the Triad-related funding amount in discussion was $650,000. The court also passed a resolution authorizing the sheriff to apply for a LEPP grant described as covering equipment costing about $60,000 (the sheriff stated the grant would cover roughly $38,000 and that a local match or authorization of $500 was a required step).

Other routine items approved included acceptance of the county clerk's annual report (turnover of excess fees noted as $38,261.10) and an update to solid-waste disposal pricing for tires to match the vendor rate as presented. The court ended its open-session business and scheduled a short recess before a planned closed session on property matters (citing "61.8101B" in the agenda); members discussed whether the county attorney's absence affected the ability to enter that session.

Votes at a glance (motions recorded in meeting minutes): - Motion to approve meeting agenda — mover: Magistrate Moore; second: (recorded). Outcome: approved by voice vote. - Motion to approve monthly bills — mover: Magistrate Shekel; second: Magistrate Moore. Outcome: approved by voice vote. - Motion to approve February fund cash statement — mover: Matthew Haddix (Magistrate); second: Magistrate Sullivan. Outcome: approved by voice vote. - Motion to approve budget transfers totaling $5,900 — mover: Matthew Haddix; second: Magistrate Sullivan. Outcome: approved by voice vote. - Motion to approve interfund cash transfers (general to ambulance, others as presented) — mover: Magistrate Sullivan; second: (recorded). Outcome: approved by voice vote. - Budget amendment (second and final reading, docketed as 4021725) accepting a $500 donation to Yellowstone County Fair Board project — mover: Magistrate Maddox; second: Magistrate Shingles. Outcome: approved. - Budget amendment/ordinance 031325 (first reading) recognizing unbudgeted receipts totaling $410,237 — mover: Magistrate Shingle (as recorded); second: Magistrate Sullivan. Outcome: approved on first reading. - Motion to accept a maintenance agreement for voting machines — mover: Matthew Haddix; second: Magistrate Shekel. Outcome: approved (one member recorded opposition on the floor). - Motion to purchase two voting machines for $13,007.02 (quote presented) — mover: Magistrate Moore; second: Matthew Haddix. Outcome: approved. - Resolution adopting Northern Kentucky Area Development District Title VI program plan (to permit pass-through of pharmacy grant funds to Triad; packet references $650,000 related to the grant) — mover: Matthew Haddix; second: Magistrate Sun. Outcome: approved by voice vote. - Resolution authorizing LEPP grant application (Sheriff) — mover: Magistrate Sullivan; second: Magistrate Moore. Outcome: approved by voice vote. - Motion to accept the county clerk's annual report (excess fees turned over $38,261.10) — outcome: accepted by voice vote. - Motion to update solid-waste tire disposal pricing to match current vendor charges — mover: (solid-waste staff presented motion); second: Magistrate Sullivan. Outcome: approved.

The court recessed for 10 minutes near the end of the open session pending discussion of a property matter listed under "61.8101B." No final action from a closed session was recorded in the open minutes.

Ending: The court moved into recess to consider whether to hold a closed session on property matters and to address attendance of the county attorney before proceeding.