By KAREN JONES CODY
Six county employees who received layoff notices last August were called back to work by the Knott Fiscal Court in their regular meeting on Monday. Spring weather has brought focus to unmet needs with county parks and roads, and these have been discussed in the court’s last few meetings. On Monday, Senior Citizen Director Eva Huff added her concerns.
Huff asked the court if there was any way two employees in her department could be brought back. “We’ve been relying on vol- unteers from other depart- ments to deliver meals, but now the other departments can’t get their own jobs done. It’s becoming an issue for other departments. Two of our employees have found other jobs, but two have not. If they were back at work, they could do maintenance around the Human Services Center as well as meal delivery, and we wouldn’t have to rely on others.”
At the end of the meeting, the court went into closed session to discuss personnel and potential litigation, and after returning to open court, Judge-Executive Randy Thompson made the motion to try and restore services by recalling six employees and supplementing them with part-time seasonal workers. The court unanimously approved the action.
Bob Caudill, Adrian Nickles, Jeff Hall, Chris Conley, Randall Roberson and Tom Gayheart are the six employees approved for rehire.
Judge Thompson told the Times later that he and County Treasurer Kevin Jacobs had discussed the move. “Right now, we think the county can afford this, but it depends on our mineral tax checks. We’ll have to watch spending in other areas, and if revenue falls again, we’ll be facing the same problem,” he said.
Also in the meeting, Steve Richardson of the Knott County Soil Conservation District presented Ecology Officer Roger Hicks with $1,000 to be used in the Litter Abatement Program.
Richardson mentioned ongoing projects of Soil Conservation. He pointed out that with the opening of the Carr Creek Water Treatment Plant, many area streams are now actually a drinking water source. “Residents aren’t familiar with this idea, so we want to label these streams to remind them,” he told the court.
Judge Thompson presented a resolution approving the county’s agreement with the state Transportation Cabinet for the rural secondary road program. The judge advised the court that State Rep. John Short has been working tirelessly to secure funding. “The figure has changed several times, but I think he ended up with about $17,000 for repair of the Dry Creek bridge,” Judge Thompson said.
The court approved three separate requests to draw down funds for the Ball Creek Wastewater Treatment plant…
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