Council Approves Money for Courthouse Plaza Repairs

(BEDFORD) – Lawrence County Commissioner Rodney Fish requested funds for roof repairs for the Courthouse Plaza, Tuesday night during the County Council meeting. Costs are estimated at $95,000. The wall around the roof is about to collapse. The cost to repair the wall is estimated at $10,588.

The commissioners also asked for $6,250 to apply for a $250,000 grant for COVID-19 relief. This will make the second time the county applied for the grant. The county applied for the first round of funds but did not apply for the second round. The funds will be taken out of the Riverboat funds.

Twenty-seven small businesses in Lawrence County were helped in the first round of grant funds.

In other business:

  • Nedra Brock Fleetwood requested appropriating the JAG Byrne Grant which was awarded to the Probation Department. The funds will go for an AED in the Courthouse Plaza, and body cameras for the probation officers.
  • Nedra Brock Fleetwood said the probation was approved for a United Way grant for $500. This will go for a health and wellness incentive due to the large amount of stress that probation officers deal with.
  • Jody Edwards request $2,859 to go towards a deputy’s pay that was not applied after the county’s pay raises.
  • Surveyor Cory Allen’s request to hire a deputy was approved, as well as a $4,500 payment for this year for a digital plat book contract. This will be an annual amount for the next three years to take the surveyor’s office into the digital age.
  • A resolution to include the incumbrances was approved for the 2021 budget year.
  • The council also passed ordinance 2021-01 which will allow the Tax Abatement Fees to be split between the Lawrence County Economic Growth Council and Lawrence County Redevelopment Corporation from the Lehigh Tax Abatements.
  • Jim Crane reports the grant for a drug-free community was received in the amount of $49,474. The grant is used in three areas which include prevention, treatment, and law enforcement. This helps with the problem-solving court, Boys and Girls Club of Lawrence County, and Prosecutor’s Office.
  • Lawrence County Health Nurse Mary Kinser received a $40,320 Grant to cover overtime expenses.
  • Sheriff Mike Branham’s request to hire two part-time correctional officers was approved. Sheriff Branham plans to hire one male and one female. This is on a temporary basis to see how this works out. This was a full-time position and the county council voted to keep the positions less than 28 hours and not to exceed $33,000.

The jail report includes:

  • 145 – Total Inmates
  • 119 – Males
  • 26 – Females
  • 0 – Level 6 Felons
  • 11 – DOC holds
  • 0 – Parole

Sheriff Branham reports he requested the Department of Corrections pick-up the inmates. This is not expected to happen until next week.