Improving radio communications for several agencies throughout the county was one of the main topics of discussion during a meeting of the Harlan County Fiscal Court on Thursday.

Cary Johnson, the sheriff's department and 911 radio technician, said that the FCC is strongly urging all radio systems to migrate to 6.25 kHz technology by Jan. 1, 2013.

Johnson said that much of the county currently uses 25 kHz.

"This isn't a very urgent matter, but it is something that we need to be prepared for," Johnson said.

County officials agreed that when radio equipment is purchased in the future, it should be fully compatible with the 6.25 kHz system.

The board also approved a statement from Harlan County Sheriff Marvin Lipfird regarding receipts, disbursements and excess fees for the 2007 calendar year.

Lipfird said the sheriff's department operated "in the black," something that he hopes will continue this year.

"We did better in the tax commission than I thought we would," Lipfird said. "We are above the previous year in tax collection."

In other action, the fiscal court:

-- Reflected that Shuler Spur will now be known as Stevens Cemetery Road;

-- Accepted bid from J & S Funeral Transit Services Inc. for autopsy transportation;

-- Accepted bid from Doss-Fuelco Inc. for diesel and gasoline;

-- Approved motion to advertise for bids on road/bridge materials (ready-mix concrete, culvert tile, steel rebar and galvanized coated gabion baskets);

-- Approved rural and secondary program plan for the Kentucky Department of Transportation;

-- Approved a resolution authorizing the Judge Executive to enter into an agreement with GOLD for the old Harlan County Courthouse - Improvements/Repairs ($250,000), and to execute any documents which are deemed necessary, and authorize Judge Executive to sign any and all documents;

-- Approved a motion supporting signs to be placed in Loyall honoring country music writer Jerry Chestnut. Chestnut is a native of Loyall and has written for such singers as Elvis Presley and Johnny Cash;

-- Approved motion from Harlan County Special Programs Coordinator Dan Mosley to allow him to apply for a Kentucky Board of Emergency Medical Services grant;

-- Appointed Stephen Parker Boggs and Debbie Williams to the Harlan County Public Library Board of Trustees. Their terms are set to expire Dec. 31, 2011;

-- Reappointed George Earl Hensley and Harold Sellers to the Cawood Water District Board. Their terms are set to expire Feb. 19, 2012;

-- Approved reports from the animal control officer, road/bridge department, recycling/solid waste, PRIDE, inmate work program and Stone Mountain boat dock;

-- Appointed Scott Sherman to the industrial board. His term will expire Feb. 19, 2012;

-- Approved a motion allowing Harlan County Outdoor Recreation Board Chairman Mike King to apply for a recreational trails grant;

-- Appointed Ryan Creech as treasurer of the Harlan County Fiscal Court at a salary of $35,000 per year;

-- Approved budget transfers as presented by the treasurer;

-- Announced the next fiscal court meeting will be held Feb. 20, at 10:00 a.m.;

-- Approved a motion to pay bills;

-- Approved a motion made by District 3 Magistrate David Kennedy, appropriating $800,000 to extend the Cloverlick water project when coal severance funds are available;

-- Approved motion to request $1,000,000 out of the next biennium each year to retire the bonded indebtedness of the Rosspoint sewer project and the detention center. Kennedy voted yes to set the money aside, even though he strongly opposed the sewer project at Rosspoint.