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Martin County accepts sheriff’s annual fee settlement
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Martin County Fiscal Court accepted Sheriff John Kirk’s 2025 excess fees settlement during a special meeting March 26. The annual report showed the sheriff’s office ended the year with $53.23 in excess fees, no unpaid obligations and no outstanding debts. The settlement shows the office’s fee account received
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Martin County Fiscal Court handles bids, board appointments, business in special session
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Martin County Fiscal Court approved board appointments, awarded mowing contracts and advanced several other business items during a special meeting March 26. Magistrates approved Judge/Executive Lon Lafferty’s reappointment of John Hensley and Colby Kirk to the Martin County Utility Board. The court also approved Karen Thoma to fill
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Martin County Fiscal Court moves on buyouts, sewer upgrades, commercial kitchen
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — In a meeting that moved briskly from flood mitigation to economic development, the Martin County Fiscal Court on Thursday approved a new bank account for federally funded home buyouts, amended a multimillion-dollar sewer contract and set in motion grant applications that include a commercial kitchen in Inez. The
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Sheriff urges action as feral horses create danger on New Route 3
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Martin County Sheriff John Kirk urged the Fiscal Court to take action on a growing hazard along New Route 3, telling magistrates at their Nov. 20 meeting that he has been fielding calls about feral horses increasingly drawn to salted roadways. “Now that they’re starting to salt the
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Heart of the Community Award: Carmel Cline
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Martin County Fiscal Court presented a Heart of the Community Award to the family of the late Carmel Cline, a social worker and longtime recovery advocate. Cline served as the Martin County CARES Program Recovery Resource Manager until her passing in early November. Accepting the award in the
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County honors former code enforcement officer Paul McCoy for service
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — The Martin County Fiscal Court honored former code enforcement officer Paul McCoy on Thursday. Judge/Executive Lon Lafferty and magistrates presented him with a certificate of appreciation for his service to the county. Lafferty praised McCoy for his wide-ranging contributions. He noted McCoy’s efforts in code enforcement, festival support,
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Martin County advances street-legal ATVs
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — Street-legal ATVs are one vote away from becoming reality in Martin County. The Fiscal Court gave initial approval Thursday to an ordinance that would let certain all-terrain vehicles hit public roads as “street-legal special purpose vehicles (SLSPV),” provided they pass a rigorous list of safety requirements. The move
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Martin County hires grant administrator, transfers downtown properties
BY ROGER SMITH MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — The Martin County Fiscal Court enlisted the services of Fahe, a nonprofit grant administrator, to handle Community Development Block Grant applications and other grant opportunities. The decision came during a meeting Thursday that included property transfers, leases and the proposed fiscal year 2026 budget. Under the agreement with
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Flood debris dumpsite reopens in Martin County
BUCK CREEK HILL — Martin County Fiscal Court has reopened the flood debris dumpsite on Buck Creek Hill for residents affected by storms and flooding beginning April 2 and continuing. The site will be open from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday.
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Magistrates mock, ridicule mandatory settlement
BY LISA STAYTON MOUNTAIN CITIZEN INEZ — In what might be a history-making first for Martin County, the Fiscal Court did something unexpected in a Feb. 26 special meeting: it turned down state-mandated excess fees from the Martin County Sheriff’s Office. Kentucky law requires Sheriff John Kirk to submit a “budget, quarterly report and annual
