New Fiscal Court meets, no discussion necessary By JOE REDMON Meade County Judge Executive Harry Craycroft conducted his first regular business meeting of Fiscal Court Jan. 9. All magistrates were in attendance. The Court sped through its published agenda without questions or discussion from magistrates, voting unanimously in favor of each item. Minutes of past meetings, the planning and zoning report, the county government’s FY 2005 audit, and the county’s official annual holiday schedule adhering to the state holiday schedule each received quick, unanimous approval. Fiscal Court amended both the Harrington Heights Road Service District and the Guy Court Road Service District to account for lots in each unavailable for development. In the case of Harrington Heights, the Court waived past excess fees resulting from this action, choosing to collect only the additional fees in the final year, this year. Such considerations are important to the residents of these road districts as the county requires 90 percent of the total special tax levy be paid before the road is paved. Magistrate Herbie Chism made the motion to waive the retroactive portion of the increase in tax, explaining it wasn’t the fault of residents of Harrington Heights. As with other votes, this vote was unanimously in favor. After approving a new library board member (Suzanne Walters), accepting seven different road districts into the county system (such districts begin to receive maintenance from the county when they’ve paid 90 percent of their first year’s tax), and approving claims and transfers, Craycroft addressed the audience for a public session. The newly-elected judge executive invited the public to petition their magistrates and asked if anyone had comments for the Court. Former Meade County Sheriff Cliff Wise requested the Court’s assistance in quashing rumors that he had stolen furniture from the sheriff’s office. These rumors were untrue, he stated, as the desk in question was his personal property. Craycroft concurred, stating the new county attorney and sheriff would utilize their offices’ funds to procure a desk for each. Sheriff William “Butch” Kerrick, in the audience, confirmed these facts. Former Magistrate Don Callecod then slowly stepped forward to speak, blaming these rumors “on the media,” stating there existed “somewhere” a state-directed inventory of county property. Callecod further complained that by placing the public session at the rear of the agenda, after Fiscal Court had voted upon everything on the agenda, Craycroft had effectively prevented the public from participating in the meeting. This meant the Court would act “without public input.” In response, Craycroft agreed to send advance copies of the agenda to Callecod. Randy Kelly of Ekron addressed the new Court, explaining his complaint about the need for the county’s emergency services to be more properly manned. A Harrington Heights resident requested the county’s assistance in collecting road service district fees from property owners currently unwilling to pay their fair share. Former Magistrate Irv Spencer then advised current magistrates to read the road district ordinance and urged the Court not to allow people to cheat the ordinance. Fiscal Court then moved to adjourn. Correction: In a story last week covering a public meeting regarding the future of the Meade County Solid Waste & Recycle (MCSW&R), former Magistrate Don Callecod was incorrectly quoted as requesting Fiscal Court include MCSW&R as a line item in the county government’s budget. To be clear, Callecod requested Fiscal Court ensure MCSW&R establishes their own line item budget to better track operational expenditures and credits. The Messenger regrets the reporting error.
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