Magistrates also approve salaries, Extension District budget, board appointments
BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — Martin County Fiscal Court awarded its annual asphalt contract to a local company, adopted a $19.8 million budget for the coming fiscal year and approved the county’s employee salary schedule during a special meeting June 25.
Magistrates awarded the county’s annual asphalt contract to Hinkle Blacktop of Tomahawk after opening bids from four contractors.
Hinkle Blacktop submitted a bid of $155 per ton to install asphalt. The proposal did not specify an asphalt class or installation depth.
Although it was not the lowest bid, District 1 Magistrate Cody Slone made the motion to award the contract to Hinkle Blacktop. District 5 Magistrate Ronald Workman seconded the motion.
Mountain Enterprises of Paintsville bid $139.75 per ton for hot-mix Class 2 asphalt installed at a depth of 0.38 inches. The proposal included a $25 surcharge for patching jobs requiring fewer than 100 tons.
BTI Contracting of Kenova, West Virginia, bid $149.95 per ton to deliver and install Class 2 asphalt at depths of 0.38, 0.50 and 0.75 inches on jobs of 100 tons or more. The company proposed charging $197 per ton for smaller projects.
American Asphalt West Virginia of Kenova submitted the lowest bid at $98.41 per ton for hot-mix Class 2 surface asphalt installed at a depth of 0.38 inches. The proposal also included a $28-per-hour delivery charge.
Magistrates unanimously awarded the contract to Hinkle.
The court also awarded its annual gravel contract to Mountain Materials Brushy Valley Quarry of Olive Hill. Officials did not disclose the bid amount.
$19.8M budget
The Fiscal Court adopted a final FY2027 budget totaling $19.8 million. The spending plan increases from $11.3 million in FY2026.
The $6,181,343 Federal Emergency Watershed Protection Buyout Fund accounts for nearly one-third of the budget.
Among the county’s operating funds, the General Fund decreases to $2,513,346 from $2,829,854.99. The Road Fund increases to $2,351,401 from $1,839,442.41.
The Occupational Tax Fund rises to $2,256,174 from $1,194,000. LGEA funding increases to $1,788,300 from $1,448,950.
The Federal Grant Fund grows to $1,536,000 from $765,000. LGEDF declines to $925,069 from $1,214,400.
Other funds include the Jail Fund at $757,200, up from $598,135.57, and the 911 Fund at $613,200, up from $504,200.
The HUD Fund increases to $295,800 from $289,100. The Solid Waste Fund decreases to $102,200 from $111,200.
The Document Storage Fund rises to $33,300 from $27,050. The State Grant Fund increases slightly to $11,250 from $11,100. A separate HUD account totals $6,414, up from $6,125.
The budget also establishes an Opioid Settlement Fund totaling $447,404.
The county appropriated approximately $1.5 million for community amenities, tourism and public facilities. Those appropriations include the historic courthouse, community center, parks, swimming pool and other recreational facilities.
Historic courthouse and tourism appropriations include $816,174 in ARC POWER Grant contracted services and $220,000 for a Historic Tax Credit Special Project.
The county also budgeted $34,000 for old courthouse utilities, $30,000 for building maintenance, $25,000 for contracted construction work and $18,000 for Tourism Commission operations. Smaller appropriations include $2,000 for fire alarm maintenance and $1,000 for supplies and materials.
The budget allocates $35,000 to the Martin County Community Center and $50,000 to the Senior Citizens Center.
Swimming pool appropriations total about $61,000. They include $20,000 for part-time seasonal workers, $15,000 for supplies and materials, $13,000 for utilities, $12,000 for maintenance and $1,000 for concession sales and use tax expenses.
Parks and recreation appropriations total about $154,000. The county budgeted $70,000 for park maintenance, $55,000 for utilities, $14,000 for architectural and engineering work, $10,000 for contracted park and amphitheater services and $5,000 for the Kentucky Mountain Regional Recreation Authority.
Martin County’s outstanding balance on the Government Center loan is $8,208,234. The FY2027 budget appropriates $392,501 for principal payments and $256,569 for interest.
Salary schedule
Magistrates accepted the FY2027 county employee salary schedule.
The schedule sets the judge/executive’s salary at $114,209.59. The deputy judge/executive will earn $46,215, while the finance officer will earn $47,840. The economic development director will earn $35,609.86.
The judge’s administrative assistant will earn $28,579.20. The economic development assistant will receive $7,000 annually.
The county attorney’s salary is $37,743.68. The assistant county attorney will earn $27,940.90, and the county attorney’s administrative assistant will receive $29,120.
The salary schedule also includes an opioid program employee at $50,000, a code enforcement officer at $29,120 and a 911 director at $45,760.
Each magistrate will receive a salary of $21,353.28 plus $3,599.96 in expenses.
The county treasurer will earn $44,075.20. The occupational tax administrator’s salary is $44,075, while the law librarian’s salary is $733.46. The AOC facility manager will earn $15,932.80, and the emergency management director will receive $37,689.60.
In the road department, the road foreman will earn $45,240. The road/facility manager’s salary is $32,240, while the road administrative assistant’s salary is $27,040.
One road laborer will earn $16.92 per hour. Seven road laborers will earn $14.50 per hour, and one part-time road laborer will receive $19.05 per hour.
The jailer’s salary is $40,325.22. Transport officers will earn $13 per hour, while part-time transport officers will receive $11 per hour.
The coroner will receive $12,363.26 plus a $2,399.80 automobile expense allowance. The deputy coroner’s salary is $8,801.52.
The floodplain coordinator will earn $7,196.80. A PRN laborer will receive $12 per hour.
Dispatch personnel include part-time dispatchers earning $14 per hour; dispatchers earning $14, $14.50, $15.50 and $16.50 per hour; additional part-time dispatchers earning $11 per hour; and a dispatcher/administrative assistant earning $14 per hour.
Extension district budget
Magistrates accepted the Martin County Extension District’s FY2027 budget.
The Extension District, a special-purpose government entity, will enter the new fiscal year with more than $2 million in available funds. Its reserves are projected to remain nearly twice its annual operating budget.
The spending plan projects $728,949.17 in revenue for the fiscal year beginning July 1. The district will carry forward $1,319,414.54 from the previous year, giving it $2,048,363.71 available for operations and future needs.
The board appropriated $738,009.80 for the coming fiscal year. If revenues and expenditures occur as projected, the district will end the year with an estimated $1.31 million in reserves.
Tax revenue remains the district’s primary funding source. It accounts for $612,079.17, or about 84% of projected annual revenue. The remaining $116,870 is expected from other revenue sources.
Personnel costs total $377,119.80, representing just over half of all planned expenditures.
Operations are budgeted at $167,940. Administration accounts for $121,450, while capital outlay totals $71,500. The budget includes no debt service payments.
The Extension District expects to spend approximately $9,060 more than it will receive in new revenue during the year. Existing cash reserves will cover the shortfall.
Even after planned expenditures, the district is projected to retain more than $1.3 million in cash. That reserve equals nearly 180% of its annual operating budget.
Miscellaneous business
In other business, magistrates appointed two new members to the Martin County Utility Board.
Todd Dials of Inez will fill the unexpired term of former board member Tim Thoma. Randall Frazier, also of Inez, will fill the unexpired term of former board member Vernon Robinson.
The court approved standing orders allowing certain monthly bills to be paid without prior Fiscal Court approval.
Magistrates also authorized Judge/Executive Lon Lafferty to purchase a new Ford F-250 for 911 Director Nick Endicott. The truck will be purchased from Paul Miller Ford in Lexington for $62,000.
The court agreed to advertise available rental space in the J.B. Triplett Building in Warfield.
Magistrates also authorized Lafferty to execute flood buyout documents.
Lafferty announced the county has hired Josh Muncy as a seasonal litter abatement worker. Deputy Judge/Executive Carolea Mills said Muncy will supervise Christian Appalachian Project interns who will clean county parks.
Lafferty also announced that County Treasurer Melissa Patrick has resigned after accepting another job.
With the court’s approval, Finance Officer Christina Frazier will assume the duties of treasurer. Occupational Tax Administrator Leann Endicott will become finance officer while continuing to serve as occupational tax administrator.
The court approved a claims list totaling $2,359,340.76 for the period from May 25 through June 30. Magistrates also approved budget appropriation transfers totaling $280,669.80 and a cash transfer of $57,000 for the Big Sandy Regional Detention Center’s insurance bill.
Sheriff’s unmined coal tax settlement
The Fiscal Court accepted the sheriff’s settlement for 2022 unmined coal taxes.
The settlement, prepared by Sheriff John H. Kirk, accounted for $213,391.76 in taxes assessed on unmined coal property.
After adjustments for delinquent taxes, statutory discounts and the sheriff’s commissions, approximately $143,741 was distributed to state and local taxing agencies.
Martin County Schools received the largest distribution at $91,135.26.
The Martin County Cooperative Extension Service received $13,512.30. Martin County Fiscal Court and the Commonwealth of Kentucky each received $11,861.96.
The Martin County Public Library received $11,243.33, while the Martin County Health Department collected $4,126.16.
The settlement shows nearly $64,360 in mineral taxes remained delinquent, reducing the amount ultimately distributed to the taxing districts.
Taxpayers received nearly $2,977 in statutory discounts for early payment. Penalties collected totaled just over $20.
The sheriff’s office retained $2,334.25 in commissions authorized by law for collecting and distributing the taxes.