Fiscal Court approves grants, contracts and hires in Oct. 29 voting session

At the Oct. 29 voting session the Franklin County Fiscal Court voted on and approved multiple items that the court had discussed during the work session.

Key approvals - Josephine Sculpture Park MOU: Court approved the memorandum of understanding with Josephine Sculpture Park and later appointed a court member as the non‑voting ex‑officio designee to its board. - Appointment of road supervisor: The court voted to appoint Mike Deese as county road supervisor; one member announced an abstention on the vote. - Planning & zoning software: The court approved a service agreement with Iwerks to establish an online planning and zoning module (setup $6,500 first year; $6,000/year thereafter for up to 10 application types as presented). - Paycor scopes of work: Court approved two Paycor statements-of-work for expedited open enrollment and a guided enrollment wizard for employees to support change in health plan administration. - FEMA/KYEM public assistance: Court authorized acceptance of FEMA public assistance funds through Kentucky Emergency Management for April flood DR-4864 and adopted a resolution to receive those funds (cost-share formula cited as 75% federal, 12% state, 13% local). - COPS School Violence Prevention Program (SVPP) grant: Staff reported an award packet citing $233,584 with a required local match of $77,861 from Franklin County Schools; the court accepted the award. (Transcript readback during voting contained a numeric inconsistency for the award amount; staff earlier packet materials stated $233,584.) - Opioid abatement awards: The court approved a set of opioid-settlement agreements (not local tax dollars) including Fresh Start Frankfort ($25,000 total), Boys & Girls Club ($12,500), Hands Healing Arts/Yes Arts ($25,000), Franklin County Health Department ($25,000), Wanda Joyce Robinson Foundation ($12,000) and Thornhill Education Center ($32,500). Staff said all awards were budgeted in prior sessions and vetted for reporting requirements. - Hires and promotions: Court approved hiring a light equipment operator/driver, three firefighters (names recorded in the vote), and promotion of Micaiah Smither to captain; two members recorded abstentions on personnel votes where conflicts or employment relationships were disclosed.

Votes and records Most motions were moved and seconded and passed with the clerk calling the roll and commissioners answering "Aye"; the transcript records affirmative votes and a few abstentions but does not provide detailed per-member recorded tallies for each vote in every case. Where staff cited specific dollar amounts in packet materials (for example the COPS award and Iwerks contract pricing), the court accepted those items and directed staff to complete the associated paperwork.

Notes and follow-up - Staff will bring formal agreements and contract documents for signature and will return with any clarifications where packet numbers differed from readbacks (notably the COPS award number in one readback). - The court asked departments to track donated equipment (jail donations) and to document in-kind services for the Josephine MOU annually.

The court adjourned after final motions passed.