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Joe P. Asher

Staff Writer

Harlan County’s budget for the next fiscal year was approved during a meeting of fiscal court on Thursday.

Harlan County Judge-Executive Joe Grieshop explained “the process is we voted to reflect the first reading. It went up to Frankfort. This is some of the results of that discussion with Frankfort. They’ve OK’d it to reflect a second reading.”

According to Harlan County Treasurer Ryan Creech, the budget only required one adjustment.

“We did have to make one change because we had to reduce the revenue for the clerk’s excess fees,” said Creech. “In her (County Clerk Donna Hoskins) budget she had only put in $505, $550 or something like that. We had to reduce our amount down to that.”

Creech pointed out “we never get just $500 from our county clerk . We usually budget $20,000, but for whatever reason they said we have to budget what she does.”

A motion to adopt the budget for fiscal year 2012-2013 was made and passed with no opposition.

The court also discussed a sewer line extension. Harlan County Engineer Leo Miller reported “we did a little sewer line extension right across from the county garage and called it the Kentucky 840 Garage Lane Sewer Line Extension. That’s the only area that has not received sewer between Baxter and Lawnvale.”

Miller advised the court about bids that had been received for the contract.

“We opened bids May 29, we had three bidders,” said Miller. “Akins Excavating was at $210,666. K. Carrender out of Somerset was $205,619. Ash Mountain of Harlan was at $150,365. I recommend that we award the contract for the KY 840 Garage Lane Sewer Line Extension to Ash Mountain Inc. for $150,365.”

A motion was made and passed awarding the KY 840 Garage Lane Sewer Line Extension contract to Ash Mountain Inc.

In other fiscal court activity:

* The court approved a quit-claim deed between Harlan County Fiscal Court, Karst Land Company, Ronald C. Boggs and wife Sherry Lynn Boggs.

A motion was made and passed:

* Declaring a 1999 Ford Crown Victoria, a 1998 Ford Crown Victoria, a 1997 Ford Crown Victoria and a junked 1999 Dodge Van as surplus property to be put up for bid;

* Accepting the Harlan County Sheriff’s final tax settlements, subject to audit;

* Accepting a bid for gravel from Bluegrass Materials;

* A memorandum of agreement was approved between Harlan County and the Commonwealth of Kentucky State Board of Elections for additional voting equipment.

Reach Joe P. Asher at 606-573-4510 or jasher@heartlandpublications.com