McCreary County Fiscal Court approves budget moves, 911 equipment payment and ordinance raising inspection fees

The McCreary County Fiscal Court on its January 2025 regular meeting approved a series of routine financial items, moved forward a budget amendment on first reading, authorized payment for AT&T 9-1-1 phone equipment that will be partially reimbursed by a state grant, and adopted a change to local inspection fees.

The court approved the minutes of its December 2024 regular session and several budget actions including an interfund transfer and a budget transfer. Geraldine Laxton, the county treasurer, presented the transfer items before the court voted to approve them.

The court approved payment on an AT&T invoice for new 9-1-1 phone equipment totaling $44,000. Jimmy Barnett, McCreary County 9-1-1 director, told the court the county applied for a Kentucky 9-1-1 board grant and expects roughly $33,000 of the invoice to be reimbursed; the remainder will be the county’s matching share.

The court approved on first reading a budget amendment described in the meeting as “002 for FY 2024–2025.” The court later adopted a proposed change to Ordinance 610.2 to raise inspection and rough‑in fees from $75 to $100; the change was presented as including the application fee and followed a public meeting held at 5 p.m. in the physical courtroom prior to the session.

Other approved personnel items included hiring Noah Simpson as a PRN EMT at $13.50 per hour (to replace PRN EMT Brandon Day) and approving the pre‑hire of a PRN dispatcher at $11.12 per hour (listed in the agenda as "Amber for Al Cox," to replace Nina King). The court voted to rebid construction for a proposed airport hangar after two bids exceeded the $200,000 grant amount available for the project. The court also approved surplusing two older patrol vehicles and a single‑wide trailer and transferring vehicle titles to the McCreary County Sheriff’s Office.

All recorded roll‑call votes described during the meeting carried unanimously in the instances shown on the transcript.

Votes at a glance - Approval of December 2024 minutes — outcome: approved (roll call recorded: Mister Taylor: yea; Mister Hill: yea; Mister Strump: yea; Judge Green: yea). - Budget transfer (item 5) — outcome: approved (roll call recorded: Mister Strump: yea; Mister Hale: yea; Mister Taylor: yea; Judge Green: yea). - Anticipated interfund transfer (item 6) — outcome: approved (roll call recording indicates affirmative votes). - Budget amendment, first reading (item 7, described as 002 for FY 2024–2025) — outcome: approved on first reading (roll call recorded: Hill: yea; Taylor: yea; Chairman: yea; Judge Green: yea). - Payment request for AT&T 9-1-1 phone equipment, invoice $44,000 (item 8) — outcome: approved (roll call recorded: votes recorded as yea). - Ordinance 610.2 (inspection fee change; item 9) — outcome: second reading and final passage approved (roll call recorded: Taylor: yea; Hill: yea; Strump: yea; Judge Green: yea). - Hiring Noah Simpson, PRN EMT (item 10) — outcome: approved (roll call recorded: Strump: yea; Hale: yea; Taylor: yea; Judge Green: yea). - Pre‑hire for PRN dispatcher (item 11) — outcome: approved (roll call recorded: Hale: yea; Strump: yea; Judge Green: yea). - Rebidding airport hangar construction to match $200,000 grant (item 12) — outcome: approved to rebid (roll call recorded: Taylor: yea; Brown: yea; Ham: yea; Judge Green: yea). - Surplus and title transfers for county vehicles and a trailer (item 13) — outcome: approved (roll call recorded: aye votes noted; motion carried). - Motion to pay bills (item 17) — outcome: approved (roll call recorded: votes noted as yea; motion carried).

Context and why it matters: Several routine budget moves preserve cashflow and allow the county to pursue partial grant reimbursement for technology that supports emergency dispatch. The increase in inspection fees will raise the local charge to applicants from $75 to $100 and was adopted after a public meeting was held earlier the same day.

The court set additional administrative steps — including rebidding the airport hangar procurement to fit the $200,000 grant and surplusing older county equipment — rather than approving expenditures beyond available grant funding.