Fiscal Court acts to dissolve 109 Board; assumes duties By JOE REDMON Meade County Judge Executive Harry Craycroft called a special meeting Jan. 10 to conduct a first reading of an ordinance eliminating the current solid waste ordinance and placing the responsibility for solid waste management with the Fiscal Court. A full Court attended and voted unanimously to support this policy shift. Magistrates Steve Wardrip and Mark Hubbard abstained. Wardrip recused himself because his brother, Bim Wardrip, chairs the 109 Board and Hubbard recused himself because of his past membership upon the 109 Board. Craycroft began the meeting by remarking this action wasn’t taken “to place blame on anyone,” and “the current 109 Board has worked hard.” He made it clear no one was blaming anyone, but the Court needed to take action. This action repeals the ordinance authorizing the current 109 Board. Longtime observers of Fiscal Court are aware the Court faced this same issue almost four years ago. Magistrate Herbie Chism is the lone member of that Fiscal Court remaining, and he made the motion to take action this time. When asked to comment about what had changed over the last four years to move him from his past total support for maintaining that 109 Board to today, making the motion to end it, Chism first said, “We have to do something.” As he thought longer upon the question, he added, “Decisions need to be made, and they should be made by Fiscal Court.” Finally, he added, many facts had changed, that four years ago Class D felons picked up the trash, the 109 Board had money, he estimated about $300,000, and wasn’t facing bankruptcy. When asked for more information on the origins of the ordinance, Craycroft said he had received assistance from Frankfort in drafting the ordinance while working his transition to office. He had visited with the people in the state Environmental & Public Protection Cabinet, and their legal counsel had advised him this was appropriate. County Attorney Margaret Matney was on hand to read the repealing ordinance to the Court. She had reviewed this ordinance, according to Craycroft.
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