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Lewis County Fiscal Court approves budget, ordinances, appointments and equipment purchase
Summary
The Lewis County Fiscal Court adopted its annual budget (Ordinance 25-02) at second reading and approved a string of routine and substantive items including Ordinance 25-03 (street-legal special purpose vehicles), appointments to the county library board, a sheriff’s tax settlement, health-insurance renewal terms, a road transfer, and authorization to purchase a wheel loader.
The Lewis County Fiscal Court approved its annual budget and a series of other motions during the meeting. The court recorded roll-call votes on the listed items below; each item summary reports the motion, movers/second (when stated), and the recorded outcome.
Votes at a glance
- Approval of minutes (regular meeting, 05/12/2025): Motion to approve by Mark Horsley, second by Johnny Osborne; roll call recorded unanimous approval. Outcome: approved.
- Approval of minutes (special meeting, 05/19/2025): Motion by Woody Underwood, second by Joey McCann; unanimous approval recorded. Outcome: approved.
- Personnel policy (no changes): Motion to approve by Mark Horsley, second by Johnny Osborne; unanimous approval recorded. Outcome: approved.
- Administrative code (no changes): Motion to approve by Johnny Osborne, second by Joey McCann; unanimous approval recorded. Outcome: approved.
- Second reading and approval — Ordinance No. 25-02, Lewis County annual budget: Motion to approve by Mark Horsley, second by Joey McCann; roll call recorded all yes. Outcome: adopted (second reading completed and approved).
- Second reading and approval — Ordinance No. 25-03, street-legal special purpose vehicles (effective date noted as July 1 in the ordinance): Motion to approve by Woody Underwood, second by Joey McCann; roll call recorded all yes. Outcome: adopted (effective date in ordinance: July 1; state law timing discussed separately).
- 2024 sheriff’s tax settlement: Motion by Woody Underwood, second by Joey McCann; audit to follow as required. Outcome: approved.
- Health insurance renewal (3% premium increase): Motion to proceed with plan and to pass the 3% increase “on to them” (as stated in the meeting); motion seconded and approved by roll call. Outcome: approved (court decision recorded as stated).
- Road-to-county transfer for cost allocation (budgeted transfer amount discussed as $260,000 in context): Motion to approve (mover/second recorded in minutes); roll call recorded all yes. Outcome: approved (transfer amount is included in the budget and was affirmed in June).
- Appointments to Lewis County Library Board: • Renee McCain, term to expire 06/30/2029 — motion approved. • Alex Haley (appointment to fill vacancy), term to expire 07/01/2026 — motion approved. • Adrian Ann Cooper (appointment to fill vacancy), term to expire 06/30/2027 — motion approved.
- Purchase and surplus authorization — CASE 521G wheel loader (new purchase) and surplus of old loader: Motion to purchase (price cited in discussion ~ $185,000 contract price) and to surplus the old equipment; motion seconded and approved by roll call. Outcome: approved (purchase authorized; surplus procedure to follow).
- Approval of claims for all county funds: Motion by Woody Underwood, second by Joey McCann; roll call recorded all yes. Outcome: approved.
- Approval of transfers for all county funds: Motion by Mark Horsley, second by Johnny Osborne; roll call recorded all yes. Outcome: approved.
- Scheduling: The court set a special-called meeting to close out the fiscal year and agreed to meet at 11:30 on the “20 fifth” as recorded (date phrasing recorded in the minutes). Several members confirmed availability. Outcome: meeting scheduled (date wording as recorded in minutes).
Notes on vote tallies and procedure: For roll-call votes, the court repeatedly recorded the five voting members: Joey McCann, Woody Underwood, Mark Horsley, Johnny Osborne and Judge Sparks; the recorded results on the noted items were unanimous yesses in each roll call shown in the transcript. Where the mover/second was not read aloud, the minutes record the motion and the clerk performed the roll call.
Why it matters: The adopted annual budget authorizes county spending for the next fiscal year and the approved equipment purchase and transfers affect road and capital-equipment planning. The adopted SPV ordinance sets local rules to match pending state law (the court placed an effective date of July 1 in the ordinance).
Ending: Court minutes show routine approvals and several policy- and budget-level decisions. Where actions require follow-up (audit of the sheriff’s settlement, surplus sale, and any procurement steps for the loader), staff were directed to proceed according to county procedure.
