Monticello — Wayne County Fiscal Court provided the Park Board with the final piece

of the funding puzzle for the new restroom construction project, which

should begin soon. During a meeting held on Thursday, June 12, magistrates

agreed to donate $17,500 to the Park Board for the project.

Earlier in the week, Monticello City Council had agreed to donate

$17,500 for the project, to help the board meet half of its projected

$35,000 funding shortfall. The Park Board received a state grant for $75,000

for the project, but bids for the construction came in well above the grant

funding.

Jane Dalton, chairman of the Park Board, appeared before the court

during last week's meeting to explain the project. She said the low bid came

in originally at $142,800, but that the engineer and the contractor have

worked together to trim the project to about $110,000.

The new restroom facility will be located near the Tot Lot and will also

be a valuable asset to the show ring.

District Three Magistrate Dale Vaughn asked if there are also plans to

renovate the older restrooms at the park. Dalton said that there were plans

to work on the existing restrooms, perhaps saving some money with a

contractor already on site.

Dalton thanked the magistrates for their support with this project, as

well as the monthly funding increase that is being provided to the park by

the fiscal court.

The court opted to wait before making a decision regarding health

insurance for employees. District Two Magistrate Darrell Dishman said he had

talked with several employees who were unhappy with the current insurance

coverage and he stated he would like to see the county look at some other

proposals before renewing their coverage.

County Judge-Executive Greg Rankin said that Humana had offered a

renewal price for next year at an 8.9 percent increase. He noted that the

current contract will end at the first of July.

Since the matter was tabled, the fiscal court will have a special

meeting later this month to look at any other insurance proposals. They will

make a decision at that time.

In other action during the meeting, the court approved the second

reading of the budget for next year. The total for all funds in next year's

county budget is $9,506,846.

The court also:

€ Changed the name of the Junior Jones Road to the Old Slat Road and the

Perdue Cemetery Road to Woodland Lane.

€ Approved the appointment of Kevin Jones to a four-year term to the

Monticello/Wayne County 911 Board. This is a joint appointment by the Mayor

and the County-Judge Executive.

€ Approved the reappointment of Bill Bush to the Northern Wayne County

Ambulance Service District.

€ Approved a resolution regarding rural secondary emergency funds.

€ Approved hiring Gary Gregory with the road department.

€ Agreed to donate the old DARE vehicle, which has been declared as

surplus property, to the Wayne County Rescue Squad. They also agreed to sell

an old Jeep as scrap.

€ Heard a report from Solid Waste Coordinator Tim Bell who noted that

white goods had been picked up at 83 households in the last month, bringing

to total this year to 380. The Litter Abatement crew cleaned up garbage

along 110 miles in the past month. Bell noted that the county has begun a

cardboard recycling program, utilizing space at the Cumberland Farms

Building to their bailing equipment.

€ Heard a report from EMS Director Bubby Corder who noted that the

ambulance service has answered 1,494 calls in the past month. Corder said

that plans are to have an open house at the new facility sometime next

month. He added that the EMS was inspected by the Kentucky Board of EMS and

passed with no deficiencies.

€ Received a monthly report from Jailer Ray Upchurch who noted that the

current population at the jail is 134, including 90 state inmates and 44

county inmates. For the month of May, they billed a total of $97,601.53 for

housing inmates.