Beech Tree News Network

The second Monday in September was this week and with it came the first regular monthly meeting of the Butler County Fiscal Court. A full agenda awaited the magistrates and several spectators were gathered to watch the proceedings.

One item of old business was on the agenda. Magistrates had to decide how to use the remaining Flex Fund Road Aid for fiscal year 2015-16. The Court approved using $55,536.77 in the Second District. The funds were left over after monies were used for road projects in the First District. The motion passed 5-0.

Tax rates were next on the agenda. The 2015 ambulance service tax rate will be unchanged at .089%, and was accepted by a 5-0 vote. The health department tax rate will be unchanged as well at 2.25% and was accepted by a 5-0 vote. County Clerk Sherry Johnson presented the county tax rates for 2015. The county tax rate will remain unchanged at 8.2. City taxes will be: Morgantown-11.6, Rochester-10, and Woodbury-9.5. Figures represent cents per $100 assessed value. The rates for the county were approved with a 5-0 vote.

Bids were opened and contracts awarded for three county projects. The insulation contract for the Butler County Animal Shelter will go to 31-W Insulation at a total cost of $1,782.00 and was approved by a 5-0 vote. The labor bid for a 60'x80' addition to the Butler County Road Department barn was awarded to Countryside Builders at $9,000.00 and passed by a 5-0 vote. The concrete bid for the Butler County Recycling Center was awarded to Deweese Concrete for $3,500.00 and passed by a 5-0 vote.

Litter abatement payments were made to: Belmont Church-$600, Caney Fork Church-$601, BCMS Cheerleading-$600, and BCHS Boys Basketball-$547.10. Payments were approved in a blanket motion by a 5-0 vote.

Interim County Road Supervisor Jonathan Deweese told the Court that he and magistrate David Whittinghill had found several items to consider buying from the state of Kentucky surplus equipment sale. Among the items is a 2003 model Freightliner tandem axel dump truck. Deweese said the truck would carry double the load of current county dump trucks, and would significantly save the county on labor costs. Other items of interest for the road department were tires and snow chains for the county grader, and surplus snow plows. Approval was given for Deweese to spend up to $40,000.00 to buy the items. Approval was also given for Deweese to find out about having drug tests done locally.

Discussion items included selling a surplus voting location (voting house) in the Second District, and purchasing a wireless printer/scanner for the judge's office. Magistrate Chad Tyree asked if a culvert pipe could be bought for the city of Rochester for the entrance to their park. Tyree said the city of Rochester would reimburse the county for the pipe. Judge-Executive Fields said he would take care of it.

Magistrate Johnny Tuck asked what happened to the clock tower on the courthouse. Judge Fields said the tower was removed when the courthouse roof was repaired, and is stored at the county barn. The judge said a clock will be installed on the courthouse eventually.

Magistrates also met in closed session to discuss personnel issues.  After the closed session, magistrates voted 3-2 to hire Jonathan Deweese as the new county road foreman.  Magistrates David Whittinghill, Stevie Givens, and Chad Tyree voted in favor of Deweese; Magistrates Johnny Tuck and Bobby Moore opposed the motion.  The court also hired on a 5-0 vote Gregory Daniel Lindsey Guerrero as a part-time animal shelter employee.