Beech Tree News Network

The Butler County Fiscal Court held its first meeting of 2014 on Monday night, January 13th. All members were present as well as a small group of visitors.

Longtime Warren County Sheriff Jerry 'Peanuts' Gaines was first on the evening's agenda. Gaines is President of the Kentucky Association of Counties (KACO). He came to the meeting to announce that First District Magistrate Stevie Givens had been selected to serve on the KACO Insurance Board. Gaines explained that he had to fill an open position on the board, and when he found out Butler County was one of the counties eligible to fill the seat he decided to choose Givens.

Gaines administered Givens' Oath of Office at the meeting, and then reported that Givens has already attended his first meeting. "He did good," said Gaines of Givens.

Next on the short agenda were the final payments from the 2013 $100-Mile Litter Abatement Program. Payments were made to; Salem Baptist Youth-$643, Andrea's Mission for Men-$600, BCHS FFA-$697, and BCHS Abroad-$700.

Bruce White, Director of the Boys and Girls Club of Butler County, asked to speak to the Court and give a short progress report. White told the Court that the Club operates with full transparency, and that the books of the Club are always open. He said former director Stan England promised the Court when he asked for $12,500 in funding that the Club would provide progress reports and account for all the monies supplied by the Fiscal Court.

White reported that the Club is currently serving about 75 children per day. He said that efforts are underway to get more teens involved in the Club, and that "Teens at the Club" will begin on January 27th. The program will be for middle and high school aged boys and will meet twice per week. He said a similar program for girls will begin after the boys program ends. He said this is a part of the new Smart Moves Program being implemented by the Club.

According to White, the Smart Moves Program helps prepare kids for everyday life and life choices. It also gives advice about debt, credit cards, and other issues faced by young adults.

White said that he would present a copy of the Club's audit when it was completed, and finished his remarks saying, "We said we wanted to be accountable, sunshine is the best antiseptic."

Following White's presentation Richie Bratcher, from Butler County Cancer Assistance, spoke to the Court. Bratcher told the Court that he had picked up the County's application for non-profit assistance, and would be presenting it to the county in March.

Bratcher said BCCA is currently helping about 35 patients, and reported that several clients had lost their cancer battle in the past year. Bratcher said that Butler County Cancer Assistance has changed procedures concerning how help is given to improve accountability. He said that gas cards are given now to help with travel expenses, and that charge accounts have been set up to help patients needing medicine. He also reported that patients are now required to produce receipts to show where BCCA monies are being spent. He ended his presentation by adding that BCCA operates with open books and that anyone is welcome to check where their monies are spent.

Bratcher then took a moment to deliver a pledge, and a challenge to each magistrate, and to Judge Executive David Fields. Bratcher said he would donate $50 dollars to Butler County Cancer Assistance, and challenged all members of the Court to do the same.

Other business handled by magistrates included monthly fund transfers from the General Fund to the Jail Fund, approval of the treasurer's monthly and quarterly reports, and payment of routine bills and transfers.

The meeting was then adjourned.

The next regular meeting of the Fiscal Court will be on Monday, February 10th at 6 pm in the upstairs courtroom of the Butler County Courthouse. All meetings are open to the public, and individuals wanting to address the Court will be added to the agenda before the meeting.

Story and photos by Joe K. Morris, Beech Tree News