Magistrates Vote To Make Hawks Cemetery Road One-Way

Darren Doyle, story:
Magistrates voted to make Hawks Cemetery Road in the Wingfield community (district one) a one-way street at today's fiscal court meeting, which went against the recommendation of District 1 magistrate Buck Simmons.

In a discussion that continued for the third straight fiscal court meeting, local resident James Simmons, a cemetery trustee, asked the court to make the narrow road one way, in order to avoid traffic problems during mowing season and during funerals. 

Judge Wil Cannon has said from the first discussion that while there are no houses on the road, there is farmland and a barn there, and according to the three owners with property there, two were against changing it to one-way and the other didn't have a preference. 

Magistrate Joe Durbin made the motion to change the road to a one-way street; seconded by Mark Woosley.

Judge Cannon asked Magistrate Buck Simmons what his recommendation would be, since it was his district. Magistrate Simmons said according to the property owners to whom he had also spoken, he was not in favor of the one-way street and recommended to leave the road as-is. During the role call vote, all magistrates voted for the motion except for Simmons, who voted against. The motion passed.

Further discussion led to the decision of the direction of the street, which the court agreed to make it from Pine Grove Rd to Henry Meredith Road. The change will take affect as soon as the proper signage is installed by the county road department. Printing of the signs could take up to a couple of weeks.

The court also discussed an item on the agenda that was recommended by County Clerk Kevin Alexander, which was to form a committee to amend the current Fee Pooling Ordinance. According to Alexander, his office keeps a separate account for excess fees that is not used for his office. These fees are voluntarily turned over by Alexander to the county's general fund and can be used however the county chooses. 

He said because of the way these fees are handled, auditors recommend a different method of record keeping, which requires an ordinance amendment. Alexander said this year would see more than $67,000 going to the county from this fund and the change was necessary to see that it's properly documented in audits. 

As a result, Judge Wil Cannon appointed a committee made up of Alexander, Sheriff Shane Doyle, Cannon, and the magistrates.

“If it wasn’t for excess fee money from the County Clerk, lots of things we do would not be possible,' said Cannon. "He's very conservative with his money and he keeps in mind that the county needs this."

In other fiscal court news, the court also:

• approved re-appointment of A.J. Johnson to Ambulance Board
• approved re-appointment of Debbie Cain to Ambulance Board
• approved appointment of Brittany Sowders to Local Board of Health 
• approved appointment of Lorie Wardlow to Local Board of Health
• approved re-appointment of Barry Wood to Local Board of Health
• approved Charlene White to Local Board of Health
• approved County Attorney bond
• approved County Clerk's budget
• approved KY Assc. for Economic Development 2019 dues
• approved resolution EC-18-25, Animal Shelter agreement with BG/WC Humane Society
• approved $50 monthly phone allowance to Road Foreman Ray Page by recommendation of Mag. Joe Durbin. Page will be required to submit complete copy of his personal cell phone bill to treasurer each month.
• approved $25 monthly phone allowance to Asst. Road Foreman Greg Carroll by recommendation of Mag. Joe Durbin. Carroll will be required to submit complete copy of his personal cell phone bill to treasurer each month.
• Scheduled a new finance committee meeting for December 17th at 8am. There was no agreement on a budget amendment for the Sheriff's 2018 budget today

The next fiscal court meeting is scheduled for Thursday, December 20, 2018