BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — Martin County Sanitation will spend $1.1 million of $3.1 Congressional earmark funding to add 92 new customers to the sewer system in the Davella/Debord area.
Big Sandy Area Development District director Eric Ratliff attended a special meeting Friday of the Martin County Fiscal Court to ask magistrates to authorize Judge/Executive Lon Lafferty to sign the grant agreement and necessary documents.
Ratliff said Big Sandy ADD applied for the funding under a former county administration. Congressman Hal Rogers announced the funding for Martin County in 2022 “to upgrade the Inez sewer plant and expand service.”
According to Ratliff, the project will begin where the sewer system currently stops in the Davis Branch area of New Route 3, travel along a county road that Ratliff referred to as “old Route 3” to Zip Zone, where it will cross the four-lane and travel Davella Road, making a loop back to the four-lane.
“And that project was approved through the Congressional earmark and it’s $1,107,000,” said Ratliff.
Of the $3.1 million, $1.1 million will go toward the extension project, $250,000 will go toward a sanitation district capital improvements plan, and the remaining funds will go toward treatment plant upgrades.
“You’ll eliminate a lot of on-site septic systems that may be found, and some houses may not have one at all,” said Ratliff. “It’s a grant, no payback.”
District 5 Magistrate Ronald Workman asked how the county would ensure the 92 potential customers connect to the system.
“We had that problem in Warfield with the sewer system,” Workman said. “There are enough hooked up to it.”
District 1 Magistrate Cody Slone asked if the county’s current system could accommodate and sustain the additional load.
“We’re getting a grant to install this, but once everything is installed, it’s going to be money that we’re generating that’s going to go into repairs and fixing everything that messes up,” Slone said.
“That’s an excellent question,” Lafferty said. “It’s forward thinking. You’re absolutely right. We have repurposed some money for that very purpose. That’s one of the meetings that I had recently, so we’re seeking funding in several different avenues for that. The plant needs to be upfitted, needs to be upgraded. There’s no question about that. We think we’ll be successful. We don’t have a crystal ball to say that for a fact, but we think we’ll be successful at doing that and be able to upfit the plant. This is $3.1 million for this project and I’m not for giving it back.”
Slone said he attended the last sanitation board meeting and heard a discussion about upgrading the plant.
“I just want to make sure that everything lines up – that we don’t hook all these people up before we get that project done and get the ball rolling,” said Slone.
Lafferty said he agreed with Slone. “That’s something we will be working on and we will keep you updated.”
The judge thanked Ratliff for attending and added, “We want more money. We need more money.”
“We’re working on it,” replied Ratliff.
Personnel changes
Lafferty announced personnel changes in the executive staff.
Leann Endicott, who former Judge Colby Kirk promoted to finance officer in his last fiscal court meeting last fall, will return to her former position as executive secretary and will also perform the duties of occupational tax administrator for $20.20 an hour.
Christina Frazure, who the former judge promoted from finance officer to county treasurer last fall, will return to the finance officer position. Frazure will retain her $52,000-a-year salary.
The county has hired Tammy Slone as treasurer and will pay her $36,000 annually.
Other business
The county opened three park mowing bids: B&B Contracting of Inez $41,975; Second Chance Lawn & Property Services of Louisa $39,750; and Harrison Lawn Care of Prestonsburg $13,000 per month for four months (total of $52,000).
The court accepted B&B’s bid based on previous satisfactory service.
The magistrates approved Martin County Sheriff John Kirk’s request for a $50,000 state advancement from the Kentucky Treasury Department to carry the office through the annual “dry season,” which includes March, April, May and June 2023.
The sheriff must pay back the money by Jan. 15, 2024. The payments will come off the top of the tax payments collected in the fall.
The court approved Martin County Clerk Susie Skyles’ report and settlement.
Roger Johnson got the court’s nod as the new road and bridge mechanic.
John R. Triplett got appointed to the Martin County Public Library board.
The court approved a plan to use $301,222 opioid settlement grant funds and $100,000 TRIBE funds for its new Community Action for Recovery Enhancement and Support program. The CARES program includes funding for two additional sheriff’s deputies, a recovery resource manager in the county attorney’s office, community-based recovery programs and the inmate community service program. (See related story.)