KENTON COUNTY FISCAL COURT

M I N U T E S

November 8, 2005, 9:00 A.M.

The regular meeting of the Kenton County Fiscal Court was called to order at the Independence Courthouse.  Present at the meeting were Judge Executive Ralph A. Drees; Commissioners Dan Humpert, Barbara Black and Adam Koenig; Deputy Judge Executive Scott Kimmich; County Attorney Garry Edmondson; County Treasurer Ivan Frye; Human Resources Director Joe Shriver; Special Projects Manager Ralph Bailey; Assistant County Attorney Brandon Voelker; Parks and Recreation Director Wayne Spiegel; Assistant County Attorney Stacey Hege; Public Works Director Joe Murphy; Fleet Management Director Roger Wells; Jailer Terry Carl; County Engineer Charlie Meyer; Police Chief Bill Dorsey; Emergency Management Director Ed Burk; Court Reporter Cathy Johnston; and Guests.

Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance

The invocation was given and pledge of allegiance led by Commissioner Adam Koenig.

Approval of Minutes

Judge Drees asked for approval of the minutes for the last meeting.  Commissioner Black moved for approval with a second from Commissioner Humpert.  The minutes were unanimously approved with the vote of aye.

Delegations

There were not any delegations to appear before the court.

General Business

Recognition of Department of Public Works road crew members receiving the Roads Scholar and Road Master Certificates:  Joe Murphy said the program was offered through the University of Kentucky that consists of several courses that public employees encounter everyday in their line of work.  Mr. Murphy introduced the employees to the court and said they would be going to Lexington on Thursday to receive their certificates.

Judge Drees said the county appreciated the employees going through the program.  Commissioner Black said the number of employees taking the studies was very important and she was sure the citizens of Kenton County also appreciated it and wanted to thank the employees on behalf of the citizens.

Deputy Judge Kimmich said he wished to point out that Kenton County has the highest rate of employees participating and graduating from the program, and the county is very proud of the employees and their efforts.  Mr. Murphy said on the roads scholar program the individual is required to take nine classes, six of which are required and the other three courses are optional.  The road master program has seven courses, four of which are required and three optional.  The road scholar certificates are required to go to the advanced operator stages, usually after about three years of service.  This is an educational program that is also helpful to management.

Judge Drees asked the participants to introduce themselves to the court and state their jobs.  Following the introductions, the court again thanked the employees showing their appreciation with a round of applause.

Acknowledgement of request to abandon right of way on Spillman Road:  Deputy Judge Kimmich said a motion was needed from the court to send the request to the road closure committee to review the request and make a recommendation back to the court within 30 days.  It will be the court's responsibility to conduct a public hearing to enter the report on the record to determine whether to close the right of way.

Commissioner Humpert made the motion for the request; seconded by Commissioner Koenig and the motion passed with a unanimous voice vote.

Resolutions

There were not any resolutions presented to the court.

Ordinances

There were not any ordinances presented to the court.

Consent Agenda

Claims List-County Treasurer Ivan Frye:  No questions were asked by the court and the warrants will be issued and the claims paid.

Administrative Actions

Handout No. 05-67

Surplus of a Canon typewriter and a Hewlett Packard color copier in the police department:  Commissioner Black made the motion to surplus the equipment followed by a second from Commissioner Koenig and the motion passed with the unanimous vote of aye.

Handout No. 05-68

Authorization to acquire three Ford Explorers in the Kenton County Police Department and one Ford Explorer for Kenton County Emergency Management:  Commissioner Koenig made the motion for acquisition of the vehicles; seconded by Commissioner Humpert.

Judge Drees said the vehicles were in the budget and asked if this was an increase in the number of vehicles.  Mr. Kimmich said these vehicles would replace four others that are in excess of 125,000 miles that will be taken off the road and sold at auction.  The motion unanimously passed with a roll call vote.

Handout No. 05-69

Authorization to sign a contract with Nextel for two years for cellular phone service, Ivan Frye reporting:  Mr. Frye said the county already has an account with Nextel and they are offering a different arrangement.  This will go from the current 10 percent discount to 18 percent and gives the county a more significant advantage in that now we are able to pool all of the minutes that all of our phone accounts have, whereas currently, this is not done.  This account also gives us free long distance and roaming and unlimited direct connect with a walkie-talkie feature, and it is also much cheaper and more effective to utilize the walkie-talkie feature.

Commissioner Humpert made the motion for the contract with a second from Commissioner Koenig.  Commissioner Black said it seems that free long distance and roaming only mean something when there is enough service area to provide adequate quality.  She also said that she wished the county could deal with just one company for cell phones.

Mr. Frye said he thought this problem had been solved and he thought the phones now in use had been proven to be more reliable.  Chief Dorsey said the Nextel system had greatly improved and they now had a good network, and the roaming and long distance features work fine.  The interconnect features are priceless for the police department and it is the only way the police department has confidential communication.  Mr. Burk said he wished to echo what the chief said, and as far as the network is concerned when he is out of state, he has never had any issue of getting back in with the phone system.

Mr. Frye said one point that he must add is that the phones the county initially started with have begun to wear out and some of them are being replaced with phones that has a new feature of an interconnect capability between two officers in an area that would not be able to communicate with the dispatch center or others.

Judge Drees asked for a roll call vote whereupon the motion unanimously passed.

Handout No. 05-70

Requesting permission to enter into a contract with H&N Safe Transportation Company, Inc. for the transportation of children at St. Agnes School:  Commissioner Koenig made the motion; seconded by Commissioner Black and the motion unanimously passed with a roll call vote.

Executive Orders

Executive Order No. 05-106

Approve resignation of Gene McGuire, Bill Green, Josh Vaughn, Mike Tennenbaum and Jerry Jones as seasonal and part-time maintenance workers for the golf courses, effective October 21, 2005:  Commissioner Black made the motion for passage with a second from Commissioner Humpert and the motion unanimously passed with a vote of aye.

Executive Order No. 05-107

Termination of Charles Walker as a part-time employee of the Department of Public Works, effective October 19, 2005:  Commissioner Humpert made the motion; seconded by Commissioner Koenig and the motion unanimously passed with a voice vote.

Citizens Address

There were not any citizens present that wished to address the court.

Administrative Reporting

DEPUTY JUDGE EXECUTIVE-Scott Kimmich:  Mr. Kimmich said he had in hand the renewal of the Judge's appointment to the OKI Regional Council of Governments Board of Trustees for a period of two years, effective January 12, 2006.  Commissioner Humpert moved for approval with a second from Commissioner Black and the motion unanimously passed with a voice vote.

COUNTY TREASURER-Ivan Frye:  Nothing further to report.

HUMAN RESOURCES DIRECTOR-Joe Shriver:  Nothing further to report.

COUNTY ATTORNEY'S REPORT-Garry Edmondson:  Recommended the passing of jail policies two and three.  Commissioner Humpert said he had not seen the changes come back that he had given to the Deputy Judge.  Mr. Kimmich said that a clean copy had not yet been returned.  Mr. Edmondson said he would get word to Mr. Scott Colvin to get out a clean copy.

Commissioners' Reports

COMMISSIONER BARBARA BLACK-Talked about the recycling of paper such as magazines and newspapers, especially plain white paper, to help get money for the rebuilding of the adoption agency at the animal shelter.  The only paper that cannot be put in the bin is styrofoam, telephone books, plastic and cardboard.  A bin is located at the animal shelter across from Pioneer Park for the deposit of the paper that will greatly help the county in the building of the adoption agency.

COMMISSIONER DAN HUMPERT-Nothing further to report.

COMMISSIONER ADAM KOENIG-Thanked the court for his reappointment to the cable board at the last meeting.  He also asked if the jail policies could be put on the next agenda so he would be reminded to look at them before the next meeting.

Judge-Executive's Report

Judge Drees asked about the ordinance that was previously presented to the court about swimming pools.  Mr. Kimmich said this had been referred to the planning commission on the advise of the county attorney and we are still waiting for a response.  The county can then have a public hearing and make a recommendation on the requested changes.

Executive Session

There was no executive session called for this meeting.

Adjournment

There being no further business to come before the court, Judge Drees asked for an adjournment motion.  Commissioner Black made the motion; seconded by Commissioner Humpert and the motion was carried with the unanimous vote of aye.