Fiscal Court Votes To Accept Squad Land, Purchase Remainder

After over two years in limbo, the Adair County Fiscal Court approved the acceptance of an order from Judge James G. Weddle releasing the land and property owned by the former Adair County Rescue Squad to the county during their regular scheduled meeting Tuesday night.
Under the terms of the order 1.89 acres and the building located on the property off Campbellsville Rd. will be set aside and deeded to the Adair County Search and Rescue Team indefinitely and can not be used or sold by the county for any other reason.
"The building and the 1.89 acres will be owned by search and rescue forever, but at the same time is owned by the county because the county owns the rescue squad," Judge Melton informed the court.
The remaining 11.44 acres will be deeded to the county with a purchase cost of $150,000 and can be used as the county sees fit.
According to Adair County Attorney Jennifer Hutchison Corbin, once the transfer is complete in December, the county can have the 11.44 acres surveyed and sell it as a whole or in lots as long as the sale falls within the guidelines of state law.
Under a recommendation by Judge Melton, the county will pay the $150,000 for the property by using $25,000 from the general fund with and additional $50,000 from the county's Local Government Economic Assistance (LGEA) Fund.
The remaining $75,000 will come from a low interest Kentucky Association of Counties (KACO) loan.
During Tuesday night's meeting the court also approved the purchase of four new squad cars and one Ford Explorer for the Adair County Sheriff's Office.
Judge Melton informed the court that the county was approved for a federal grant in the amount of $35,630, which will be applied to the total purchase price of $101,805 for the new vehicles.
The county will be responsible for the remaining $66,175 and according to Judge Melton will be paid for with a low interest loan from KACO.
Melton informed the court the all of the vehicles are fully equipped with the exception of radios.
The court also held the first reading for an ordinance for the Green River Animal Shelter, which according to shelter director Jeff Thomas will remove the financial burden from county when animals are seized during cruelty cases.
The ordinance came up after the hording case that put the burden of caring for 45 animals, which were not out-sourced, on the county for seven months while the case went through the court system.
With the adoption of the new ordinance the owner of the animals could either maintain ownership of the animals and pay $15.00 per day while the animals are housed at the facility of forfeit ownership so the animals could placed.
In addition the owner would have to post a bond to maintain ownership.
In other court business the court:
• Approved the treasurer's report in the amount of $797,467.49.
• Hear the sheriff's report form Judge Melton for absent Sheriff Ralph Curry, informing the court that Curry said property taxes coming at the rate of over $100,000 a day.
• Adair County Jailer William "Bug" Knight reported that the Jail billed $85,138.66 for October 2009.
• The court approved Judge Melton's recommendation to pay the Knifley Fire Volunteer Department an additional $811, to match the other department's $2,500 because according to Judge Melton the bills received from Knifley was only an installment payment and that the additional funds would cover the annual costs of the unit's insurance.
• The court approved Judge Melton's recommendation to give a $1 per hour raise to judge's office employee Patty Nall due to her increased work load since taking over the jail's purchase order paperwork.
• Opened and approved the only bid from Gaddie-Shamrock's for the blacktopping of Summer Hill Dr. at a cost of $18,150 and Joe Tom Grant Rd. at a cost of $43,493, which will be paid for by a state grant the county received and approved last month.
• Hired Mitchell Brooks as a full-time road department employee at a rate of $9.50 per hour to run the boom mower full-time. Rooks was hired as part-time in the spring the help the county catch-up on mowing.
• Approved a request from Giles Society President Clara Metzmeier to apply for a TE-41 (Travel Enhancement) grant various repairs and upgrades including; insulation, replacement windows, heating and air conditioning, plumbing, refinishing floors landscaping and fix erosion problems at the Giles House. The grant is a 20% local match, however Judge Melton informed the court that the county could utilize the road department to help during the project for the county's match.
• Adair County Emergency Management Director Greg Thomas informed the court that with the passage of the City of Columbia's flood ordinance, residents located in flood plains could begin purchasing flood insurance at a discounted rate beginning in January of 2010 through September 3, 2010. In addition Thomas told the court the maps of the flood plain areas would be available for public view in January as well.
• Adair County 911 coordinator Mary Allender told the court that Lindsey Wilson College has assigned street numbers for all 64 buildings on the campus and that the numbers have already been ordered.
• Held the second reading to change the name of Chester Whitehead Rd to Triple B Rd., to remove Henry Garnett Rd. from county maintenance, to change the name of H. Corbin Rd. to Coldstream Lane, to remove Bingham Rd. from county maintenance, and change the name of White Rd. to Heavenly Lane.
• Held the first reading to establish B. Cravens Road, Pilkington Lane, and Callison Lane as private passageways, and to extend Dogwood Trace by 200 feet.
• Judge Melton reminded the court of the upcoming computer and white goods drop off on November 18-21. The drop off will be at the Adair County Road Department located at 62 Service Road.