BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — The Martin County Fiscal Court is applying for $2,175,000 in Local Government Economic Development Fund (single-county coal severance) grants to address various needs. During a meeting Thursday, magistrates approved six resolutions authorizing these grant applications.
Judge/Executive Lon Lafferty emphasized that coal severance funds have been dwindling each year due to the decline in mining activities within the county. He explained that $1.5 million of the grants would be allocated to cover the debt payments for the Martin County Government Center for two years.
“It’s a tremendous expense each year,” Lafferty stated.
The court also authorized an application for $75,000 to fund the Martin County Economic Development Authority (EDA) director’s salary for two years.
Additionally, magistrates approved a resolution to seek $175,000 for community park improvements.
Another significant grant application is for $150,000 to renovate four HVAC units, add parking, and make roof and cosmetic repairs at the EDA’s spec building on Honey Branch. Deputy Judge/Executive Carolea Mills noted that the county needs to match a 50/50 Kentucky Product Development Initiative (KPDI) grant.
“The state’s going to pay for 50% of the improvements, but the county has to pay 50%,” she said.
In September 2023, the EDA received $110,000 from the first round of KPDI grants for the spec building, with second-round grants beginning Jan. 1, 2024.
The magistrates also approved applying for $150,000 for “Martin County Downtown Development” without any comment.
A $50,000 grant will help complete repairs to the old courthouse. Mills mentioned that a previous resolution for $65,000 had addressed courthouse repairs, but there was money left over and the county could not close the account. She also said additional funds were needed due to maintenance issues like roof leaks and clogged gutters. Howell’s Heating & Cooling is slated to receive $14,000 of this grant for their work.
Additionally, the court is seeking $75,000 to hire a full-time grant writer.
“There is a lot of money out there that we need to be just laser-focused on with someone working full time just writing grants for us,” Lafferty said.
District 1 Magistrate Cody Slone inquired about potential candidates.
“There are several that we would love to be able to talk with,” replied Lafferty.
Mills mentioned that there are also agencies that provide grant-writing services.
In other business, the court approved contracts for three projects:
- $161,234.84 for repairs to the county swimming pool by Aquatics Construction and Services of Fairdale
- $102,225 for asbestos removal at the old Grassy School by J&M Monitoring of Pikeville
- $4,321 for asphalt milling supplied by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet
At the conclusion of the agenda, District 5 Magistrate Ronald Workman emphasized the need to address roads and the overgrowth of weeds. He suggested that the county invest ARPA funds in weed-cutting equipment along with $100,000 per district for asphalt.
Magistrate Slone noted the county had spent $1,000,050 of its ARPA money and estimated that around $900,000 remained.
“I agree that we need to put the majority of that on blacktop, about $125,000 per district,” commented Slone. “I have a lot of bad roads; [District 3 Magistrate Tracy Spence] has a lot of bad roads. I think those are the two main complaints: blacktop and weeds.”
Referring to the contractor cutting weeds for the county for $36,000 per year, Slone added, “I think they do a good job cutting them, but the regrowth is the problem, even in a drought.”
Lafferty concurred: “We probably get more complaints about the weeds and the roads. Our roads overall are in really bad shape. We continue to seek funding in every direction that we can, but we need to plan to spend a significant amount of the ARPA on blacktop … The weeds are a driving hazard.”
Workman said overhanging brush is the biggest concern in his district.
“We need to get something done before spring because we get in the same situation every year,” he concluded.