SALYERSVILLE – The Magoffin County Fiscal Court met in regular session on Tuesday, September 20, discussing project updates, buying a new truck and setting Trick-or-Treat Night.
The court approved the following fund transfers from the general fund: $157,000 to the LGEA fund and $33,000 to the jail fund. Magoffin County Judge/Executive Matt Wireman explained the LGEA fund transfer was higher this time due to the projects in the park and much of that would be reimbursed.
Deputy Judge Kevin Howard updated the fiscal court on departmental reports. At the industrial park water project, Howard said the block has been laid, but the roof has not been installed, yet. He said they’re waiting on parts to come in for the pumps, with supplies expected in nine to 10 weeks. The tank is scheduled to be completed this week.
At Ramey Memorial Park, Howard said construction on the batting cages is going well, with netting and chain fence left to be installed. AEP has installed the poles and wires for the lighting.
At Battlefield Park, the playground equipment is being installed and the rubber mulch has been delivered.
Most of the block has been laid for the bathrooms at Bloomington Park, the parkway has been graveled and extended. The rubber mulch will be delivered later this week, Howard told the court on Tuesday.
The facility upgrades at the Justice Center are underway, replacing two boilers right now. At the courthouse, they’re working on the wiring for the control systems. Next month they will be installing the indoor units at the courthouse. Gas meters have been run and everything is getting ready to be changed out, Howard said.
Under box culverts, Howard said crews are working on the creek at the Marion Hale on Mine Fork and the culvert is already constructed. The culvert on Birch Branch is also constructed and ready to go in the creek. He said they’ve purchased two more box culvers to replace old bridges, one at Buck Joseph’s and another at Patrick Branch.
Howard said they are still working to put up more county road signs as they can.
Judge Wireman extended a “shoutout of sincere appreciation” to the millwrights who volunteered their time and labor to install playground equipment at local parks in the community, saving the county at least $30,000, noting they will have a sign made to commemorate their efforts.
The court approved the resolution for the five-year solid waste management plan.
They also approved a resolution approving a lease agreement with KACo for the purchase of a Mack dump truck through Worldwide Equipment, as they have been doing for the past few years, leasing a truck for a year, then selling it at auction and purchasing a new one the next year.
Wireman explained that last year they bought the truck for $145,000 and sold it this year for $225,000. The new truck they are purchasing is $162,000.
The court received the Magoffin County Conservation District’s Annual Report for 2021-2022.
They accepted the tax rates from all taxing districts to be placed on the tax bills, which are set by the individual taxing districts and court has no say in those rates unless a district is choosing to take the compensating rates, which none did.
The court approved the bid for building a stage at Puncheon Battlefield Community Park, to be paid through coal severance funding. Wireman said they only received one bid, from SL1 Construction, for $149,000, which the engineering firm has also confirmed was reasonable.
They approved a resolution and agreement with the Department of Rural and Municipal Aid for bituminous resurfacing of various county toads through flex funds.
The court approved a resolution declaring October 12, 2022, as Pressure Soreness Awareness Day in honor of Bridgett Ann Howard, who passed away in 2013 due to complications related to pressure ulcers.
As the city has already set Trick-or-Treat Night for the city, the court agreed to set Trick or Treat for Monday, October 31, the same night as the city.
Wireman also announced that Magoffin is receiving over $706,000 for extending water lines to the last remaining roads not on the system. He said that puts them at $1,018,000, but they need $2.5 million. He said they are working with all the related entities to make an agreement to allocate that money to the project so that when they have enough funding, that project will already be secured. He said he is working with legislators and the governor to secure that funding, as well as assistance for covering the lines that run to individual homes.
The next regularly scheduled Magoffin County Fiscal Court meeting is slated for Tuesday, October 18.
