Spencer County Fiscal Court approves hires, repairs and budget caps in routine meeting
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Summary
The Fiscal Court on Dec. 16 approved hiring an animal control officer, multiple facility repairs and purchases, and set 2020 fee‑office salary caps for the clerk and sheriff; several expenditures drew split votes or abstentions.
Spencer County Judge Executive John Riley presided over the Fiscal Court's Dec. 16 meeting, where the court approved a series of personnel and spending measures affecting county services and facilities.
The court voted to hire Andrew Harris as a full‑time animal control employee at $12.50 per hour, pending a background check and drug screen, after County Judge Executive John Riley and Dave Wood recommended the hire. The motion passed with one dissenting vote from Magistrate M. Moody.
The court also approved multiple facility and equipment expenditures: up to $2,640 to Larking Environmental for asbestos abatement at the former EMS building; ratification of a $3,050 expenditure for two new EMS bay doors (ratified 4‑2; Aye — Travis, Beaverson, Brewer, Riley; Nay — M. Moody, J. Moody); up to $6,900 to paint the courthouse and annex pending Administrative Office of the Courts approval; and up to $650 for video equipment for the fiscal courtroom (approved with two nays). Judge Riley said the county faces vehicle replacement needs and fiscal constraints, and that leaders were being “honest” about replacing high‑mileage vehicles to maintain services.
Finance actions included approval of a detailed invoices register for general, road and jail funds covering routine supplies, EMS pharmaceuticals and fuel, utilities and contracted services. The court approved transfers including a $5,000 shift from a housing contract account to jailer deputies.
In other actions the court approved spending up to $15,911.27 in litter‑abatement grant funds that must be invoiced by Dec. 31, 2019, and authorized $11,253.76 for guardrail repairs on Goose Creek Road and Ten Mile Road. Motions to approve expenditures, purchases, invoices and transfers were noted as carried by the court.
Votes at a glance: - Hire Andrew Harris, Animal Control, $12.50/hr — passed (1 Nay: M. Moody) - Courtroom video equipment — approve up to $650 — passed (Nays: M. Moody, J. Moody) - Asbestos abatement (former EMS building) — $2,640 to Larking Environmental — passed (unanimous recorded) - Ratify EMS doors — $3,050 — passed (Aye: Travis, Beaverson, Brewer, Riley; Nay: M. Moody, J. Moody) - Courthouse/Annex painting — $6,900 pending AOC approval — passed (unanimous recorded) - Litter‑abatement grant spending — up to $15,911.27 — passed (unanimous recorded) - Guardrail repairs (Goose Creek/Ten Mile) — $11,253.76 — passed (unanimous recorded) - Approve invoices/transfers (detailed register) — passed (unanimous recorded) - Transfer $5,000 from housing contracts to jailer deputies — passed (unanimous recorded)
The court's approvals supply funding and direction for near‑term repairs, staffing and maintenance across county offices and services. No new long‑term tax or budget measures were adopted at this meeting; several items noted continued monitoring and follow‑up by staff.