Campbell County Fiscal Court adopts 2024 tax rate, approves contracts, hires and capital projects

The Campbell County Fiscal Court adopted Resolution R7124 to set the county's 2024 ad valorem tax rate at 16.5 after a public hearing and then approved a slate of routine contracts, grants and personnel actions.

Finance Director Laura read the public notice at the start of the hearing, saying: "The tax rate levied last year for calendar year 2023 was 16.7, which produced gross revenues of $12,521,219. The Campbell County fiscal court proposes to lower the rate to 16.5," and noting the Department for Local Government's compensating rate was 16.3. Laura also presented revenue estimates for new real property ($257,000), personal property ($801,000), motor vehicles ($1,074,422) and watercraft ($23,801), and said excess revenue would cover continuing operating costs, retirement contributions and inflationary increases.

After no members of the public spoke, the court moved from the hearing to new business and approved R7124 by voice vote.

The court then authorized the judge executive to apply for FY2025 litter-abatement funding under Resolution R7224 (estimated $65,000'$68,000 annually to support cleanup events and solid-waste functions) and approved Resolution R7324 to retitle the Economic and Community Development Director position to Assistant County Administrator for Economic Development and update the pay grade and authorized position list.

The court confirmed three personnel appointments effective in September: Sarah Ettler as Communications and Public Outreach Coordinator (effective Sept. 9, 2024), Dana Franksman as Deputy Director of Housing (effective Sept. 9, 2024), and Katrina Friedrich as administrative assistant in the Housing Department (effective Sept. 16, 2024). Each appointment was moved, seconded and approved by voice vote.

On capital projects and contracts, the court authorized staff to bid replacement of three HVAC units at the County Administration Building (1098 Monmouth) with budgeted FY2025 funds and potential partial funding from an energy-efficiency block grant. The court accepted a low bid from JTM Smith Construction for drilled shaft pier well installation on Upper Tug Fork (Visalia Roads) in the amount of $573,832.50; the clerk said emergency funds from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) will offset part of that cost. The court also accepted a $375,320 bid from Mago Construction for the FY2025 fall resurfacing program covering multiple roads.

Routine service contracts were renewed (snow removal agreements with Professional Lawn Care in North County and Jackpots LLC in South County on prior-year terms), and the court authorized acceptance of an $18,500 FY2025 highway safety grant from the KYTC Office of Highway Safety for the Campbell County Police Department (reimbursement basis, no local match).

The court authorized staff to issue requests for proposals for an inmate-transport vehicle (estimated $100,000'$115,000, to be funded from commissary funds) and for a fire-suppression system for the restricted custody center at the detention facility (estimated $100,000'$150,000), and approved claims dated 08/08/2024, Aug. 14, 2024, and 08/21/2024.

All motions reported in the record were approved by voice vote; the meeting adjourned after routine business.

The judge indicated she would follow up on questions raised during commissioners' reports (see separate item on vocational training funding).