The Harlan Fiscal Court met on Thursday to discuss several items including presenting a petition to the Kentucky Transportation Committee requesting that U.S. 119 be made a four lane road through Harlan County. A meeting has been scheduled, by the Harlan Chamber of Commerce, for Oct. 21 at noon at Ken & Paul’s Steakhouse with the transportation committee.

“We have a petition with over 1,600 signatures on it to present to the transportation committee supporting this issue,” Harlan County Judge-Executive Joe Grieshop said.

All magistrates agreed that they should be present at this meeting along with the Bell County judge-executive and Harlan County’s state representatives.

“I think we should all get together, along with Bell County people, and take this petition and personally hand it to Governor (Steve) Beshear in Frankfort. I think our representatives ought to go with us to support this issue,” said magistrate Jim Roark.

Magistrate David Kennedy noted that if coal should ever be eliminated from this county, there would be a great decrease in jobs.

“If we don’t have good roads coming in and out of Harlan County, we’ll be in trouble,” Kennedy said.

“I agree, this is a big issue and we need this expansion for Harlan County,” said Grieshop.

Other items on the agenda included:

n Agreed to look into contacting Rural America Program, an all volunteer organization that provides on-site services to medically isolated areas of the United States and around the world.

n Accepted bid from Akins Excavating, Inc. of Corbin, in the amount of $39,400 for water line extension on College Bridge Road in Cumberland.

n Agreed to advertise for bids on the Putney Ranger Station Restoration Project.

n Authorized sheriff Marvin Lipfird to lease four police vehicles through the State Master Contract. It was noted that the money for this was already in his budget.

n Various reports from the animal control officer, road/bridge department, recycling/solid waste, PRIDE, inmate work program, and stone mountain boat dock (boat slip rental) were accepted.

n Tabled until the next meeting was a resolution with the Kentucky Department of Highways to accept into the county road program old KY 1138 (near Day/Jackson cemetery).

n Tabled until the next meeting was a purposed solid waste franchise renewal agreemenkt with Waste Connections, Inc.

After meeting in executive session, fiscal court reported that they approved a motion authorizing the judge executive to execute any documents related to the Underground Storage Tank (UST) Management. Facility Registration Form and the Petroleum Storage Tank Environmental Assurance Fund with the Kentucky Division of Waste Management (UST Branch).