This story originally appeared in the July 28 issue of the Community Voice. For your own subscription, call 270-384-9454.
A boom mower purchased by the county has turned out to be more of a drag than a workhorse and the fiscal court agreed to drop it and move on last Monday.
County Judge Executive Gale Cowan told the court that the tractor with the boom mower purchased two years ago and has “been in the shop more than it works.”
The tractor only has around 600 hours on it, according to magistrate Greg Caldwell. Magistrate Billy Coffey was clear with his frustration when he stated, “I don’t want to spend any more money on it.”
They agreed that the mower is too light and voted to keep the tractor, remove the boom mower and add it to surplus to sell. They will then shop for a better mower attachment that will work with the existing tractor.
The court did hear some good news during a regular meeting Mon- day when magistrate Chris Reeder said a meeting with an appraiser concerning property where the transfer station is located was positive.
The county would like to purchase the property but has had difficulty getting an appraisal because there are no similar comparisons. Reeder said the appraiser they are speaking with is familiar with unique properties such as this one and said there are legal methods that may be used to deduce a property value. They believe they can provide an accurate appraisal for the county.
The court postponed a request by 911 director Danna Burton to purchase a new generator for 911 after deciding the agreement needed more specific details about the generator being purchased.
Magistrate Terry Had- ley first questioned the need to purchase new equipment and said he had looked at the generator and it looks brand new. Burton had report- ed to the court that the generator did not kick on like it should the last two or three times the power has gone out and they have had trouble getting it to start manually. It is set to turn on once a week and sometimes it does not start as it should. It is serviced annually.
After discussion about problems with the current generator, magistrates appeared convinced that a new one was needed but were concerned about the written agreement. They postponed the vote until the agreement clearly stated what is being purchased.
The court approved moving Ashley Buster from part time to full time as a 911 dispatch- er. They also approved a recommendation by Judge Cowan to appoint Terry Partin to the Columbia Adair Utility District. He will replace Wid Harris, who is the current chairman. Har- ris’ term expires Aug. 1.
The court approved setting a surplus auction for Oct. 7 with Bryant Realty handling the auction. They approved second readings to remove Sycamore Rd. from county maintenance, to change the speed limit on Hardesty Rd. to 15 mph, and to name Cox Lane as a private passageway. A first reading was approved to lower the speed limit on Coburg Rd. to 35 mph.
The court approved the transfer of funds from TVA to the Eco- nomic Development Authority. The funds are provided annually to the county and must be used for economic development. The court approved the designation up through the 2024 fiscal year. They receive more than $153,000 annually.
During public comments, Paul Smith spoke to the court about issues with Red Lick Rd. He said it washes out often and the county is constantly adding rock but it needs a more long-term fix. Reeder, who is magistrate for the area, said two creeks meet where the road is. He said he spoke with someone at the Lake Cumberland Area Development District and believes there may be funding to fix the road. Cowan said they would contact the district about applying for funds.
All magistrates were present for the meeting. They are Chris Reeder, Sammy Baker, Daryl Flatt, Harold Burton, Billy Coffey, Greg Caldwell and Terry Hadley.
By Sharon Burton
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