Monticello — The renovation project at the courthouse should begin soon, after Wayne

County Fiscal Court awarded the bid during a meeting held on Thursday,

December 10.

Local contractor Conley Gregory had the low bid from among three bidders

for the project. Gregory's base bid was $397,000, which included new

windows, exterior renovations, as well as improvements to the hallways on

both levels of the building.

Wayne County Judge-Executive Greg Rankin also noted that the project was

bid with two alternates. One included renovation of the courthouse on the

first floor of the building.

The second alternate included the renovation of the bathroom on the

first floor. Rankin noted that bids came in low enough that both alternates

can also be completed.

The county received $500,000 in state funding for the project.

"We'll be able to do all this project at no cost to the local

taxpayers," noted Rankin.

Renovation work is expected to begin soon. Rankin said that the project

will probably be completed by June 2010.

The county will donate $5,000 to the Monticello-Wayne County Chamber of

Commerce. Magistrates revisited the issue during last week's meeting. The

possible donation to the Chamber was discussed in November, when the

organization requested $20,000 to help launch a number of new projects.

Rankin noted that the Chamber has since met with the Monticello City

Council for a work session regarding their funding needs and the city has

come to a consensus to donate $5,000 to the organization.

Rankin recommended that the fiscal court match that donation. He also

recommended that the magistrates appoint two members to serve on a committee

to help make decisions regarding programs that additional funding will be

spent on. The committee also includes two representatives from city council

and two from the Chamber of Commerce.

Rankin appointed District Three Magistrate Dale Vaughn and District Four

Magistrate Richard Munsey to the committee.

In other action during the meeting, the court:

€ Approved the appointments of Mark Massengale and Mary Ruth Upchurch to

the Extension Board and Terry Bell to the Parnell Fire Department Board.

€ Approved the second reading of an ordinance amending the Fiscal Year

2010 budget.

€ Approved the salary allotment and budget for 2010 for the Wayne County

Clerk's Office and the Wayne County Sheriff's Office.

€ Approved a resolution authorizing the application for grant funds for

additional recycling equipment. The county would not have to provide

matching funds for the grant.

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

total population at the Detention Center is 170, which includes 70 county

inmates and 100 state inmates. For the month of November, the county has

billed a total of $90,974.30 for housing inmates.

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

that white goods were collected at 62 households last month, bringing the

total this year to 1,096.

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

the ambulance service has answered 2,914 calls so far this year. EMS has

applied for an Assistance to Firefighter grant for the purchase of power

lift cots.