BY ROGER SMITH
MOUNTAIN CITIZEN
INEZ — Martin County leaders advanced efforts to enhance roads and outdoor recreation during Thursday’s Fiscal Court meeting.
Magistrates unanimously voted to spend federal funds for additional asphalt to use across the county. They also approved an agreement with First Frontier Appalachian Trails (FFAT) whereby the county will use its own equipment and labor to complete a connector trail from FFAT’s trailhead on Davella Road to New Route 3.
“The trail system is here and is operating to a degree,” said Judge/Executive Lon Lafferty. “Every county that is involved has been working on the trails.”
FFAT, formed under the Kentucky Mountain Regional Recreation Authority (KMRRA), leased the former Pocahontas office on Davella Road as its trailhead. KMRRA was established through 2017 legislation to bolster tourism and outdoor recreation in Kentucky’s Appalachian region.
Infrastructure
The court approved advertising for bids for blacktop and will use American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) money to pay for the road material. The county recently transferred $992,000 to the county’s general account.
District 1 Magistrate Cody Slone noted the allocation will exceed the asphalt funding typically available over a magistrate’s entire four-year term.
“This is money for infrastructure—water, sewer, roads, bridges,” Slone said. “Hopefully, we can get a lot of people who are in dire need of blacktop on their roads.”
The additional funds will allow for an estimated 1.25 miles of blacktop per district.
Calling it a “dent,” Slone said, “We have a lot of bad roads.”
Judge Lafferty echoed the priority of road safety. He cited 15 miles of county roads so damaged that school buses and emergency vehicles struggle to traverse them.
Other actions
The Fiscal Court addressed several additional matters:
Appointments: Kara Beth Marcum, Andrea Muncy and BJ Endicott got magistrates’ approval as new members of the Martin County Extension Board.
New Hires: The road and bridge department welcomed Steven Hale and Lewis Preece, hired at $14.50 per hour.
Grassy School Demolition: Progress continues at the old Grassy School site, funded by a $125,000 brownfield grant for asbestos/ lead-based paint remediation and demolition. Judge Lafferty called the project “bittersweet,” acknowledging the school’s historical significance.
Honoring contributions: Magistrates commended county road workers and volunteers for their dedication during recent storms, and the court officially renamed the Mullett Branch bridge in honor of community leader Denny Ray Moore. (See two separate related stories in this edition.)
Resident concerns: Kathy Fitzpatrick Sparks requested a dog nuisance ordinance after an aggressive dog killed her pet. She cited issues with barking dogs and trash scattering as additional concerns. (See the related story in this edition.)