Lee County Fiscal Court approves budget, $498,000 road resurfacing and staff wage increases

The Lee County Fiscal Court approved its second-quarter budget and annual settlement and took a series of routine personnel and procurement actions at its June meeting.

The court voted to adopt the cumulative quarterly report and the 2025 annual settlement after a motion by James and a second from Tim, with approval by voice vote. The court then approved a standard contract with the Kentucky River District Health Department to provide vaccinations and immunizations for county employees for fiscal year 2025–26.

A resurfacing agreement with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for Todd's Grove and Joe Davidson Grove was approved; the project was described in the meeting as totaling $498,000 and part of a state program that will return two roads to county control. Tim moved the resurfacing motion and it passed by voice vote.

The court also approved purchases and equipment awards for the road department. Members approved buying two 2025 Chevrolet Silverado 3500 trucks at state contract pricing (stated as $59,500 each). Separately, the court accepted a competitive bid for an additional truck with a listed net price in the meeting transcript (approximately $70,008.76); the court approved the bid award.

On personnel matters, the court approved multiple wage and hiring actions. The body approved making Tyler a full-time sheriff’s deputy at $19 per hour effective June 6, 2025, and waived his three-month probationary period after a motion by Rodney. The court agreed to a seasonal hire for the road department (Colby Mac) at $14 per hour for roughly three to three-and-a-half months. Wage increases were approved for dispatch employee Tanya Sizemore — a $2-per-hour raise effective June 7, 2025, and a $160 supplemental payment for weekend academy attendance — and merit or step increases were approved for Justin Creech (to $16 per hour effective July 3, 2025, after attaining his CDL) and Junior Brown.

Treasurer and finance items included approval of routine interfund transfers from the general fund to the road, solid waste and jail funds to cover current shortfalls and to pay an employee for work to date; the presenter said these were regular monthly transfers rather than formal budget amendments.

During public comment, a resident reported that PRTC has proposed about 80 miles of fiber-optic line in Lee County, naming routes that would extend service to South Fork, Paw Paw and Long Branch. A county official also announced that the county had declared an emergency to address failing air-conditioning units in the courthouse and annex and that temporary units would be installed to maintain cooling on the first floor.

The meeting included updates from county departments: solid-waste and collection reports, ambulance run counts, and coroner/overdose case updates (including current open cases and upcoming mass-fatality training appointments). The court scheduled or approved community items including an Appalachian back roads rally for Aug. 8, 2025.

The court’s actions were taken by voice vote and recorded in the meeting minutes; the meeting transcript does not include detailed tallies for each motion. The court did not disclose disputed or controversial debate on the recorded items; most measures were presented as routine departmental or administrative matters and proceeded to approval.

The Fiscal Court adjourned after completing the agenda of regular business; no additional deadlines or appeals were announced during the recorded segments.