County Hopes To Resume Animal Disposal Program In July
Baker Hired As New Animal Control Officer
Members of the Mercer County Fiscal Court at a meeting in April. From left: Judge-Exercutive Milward Dedman, Magistrates Wayne Jackson and Ronnie Sims, Fiscal Court Clerk Missey Ellis, and Magistrates Jackie Claycomb, Donnie Webb and Dennis Holiday. Not pictured: Magistrate Tim Darland. (The Harrodsburg Herald/Robert Moore).
Robert Moore
Herald Staff
rmoore@harrodsburgherald.com
The Mercer County Fiscal Court hopes to resume the animal disposal program next month.
Earlier this year, the fiscal court learned Bluegrass Recycling of Winchester, which removed animals for 18 counties in Central Kentucky, was going out of business. The fiscal court has been seeking a solution to the problem ever since. Over 1,000 animals were picked up in Mercer County last year, according to Judge-Executive Milward Dedman. The county charges farmers $20 per carcass.
Judge Dedman said the Mercer County Conservation District is applying for a $7,500 grant, which will help the county offset the costs. In addition, the Mercer County Cooperative Extension Office is helping the county apply for a $15,000 grant from tobacco settlement funds which will also go towards the county’s animal removal plan. Judge Dedman said he hopes the county can get the program up and running again in July.
In addition, the fiscal court hired an animal control office. Kurt Baker was hired as animal control officer at $13.02 an hour. Baker will work with the animal shelter and handle animal-related investigations for the Mercer County Sheriff’s Office.
In other business, the Mercer County Fiscal Court:
- Reappointed Adam Johnson to the Harrodsburg-Mercer County Zoning and Planning Commission for another four-year term.
- Re-appointed Bruce Wade to the Mercer County Sanitation District for another three-year term.
- Re-appointed Roy Short and Tony Best to the North Mercer Water District board of directors.
- Approved paying primary election poll workers. Primary on Tuesday, June 23. Eight workers will man the county’s only polling location at Lions Park Community Center.
- Set the cost of living increase for county employees at 2.5-percent effective Wednesday, July 1.
- Renewed the Hepatitis B and Influenza vaccination agreement with the Mercer County Health Department.
- Gave second reading to the proposed county budget ordinance for 2020-2021 fiscal year.
- Approved an agreement with the Bluegrass Area Development District for work on 911 addressing. The total cost of the project is not to exceed $7,500.
Judge Dedman stressed the amount is for maintenance only. There will be no change to current 911 addresses. Last year, nearly a thousand addresses had to be changed, ostensibly to help emergency services more easily find homes.
- Approved FLEX funds agreement with rural and secondary roads for $175,101. This year, Pogue Lane, Ott Elliott Road and Unity Pike will be paved, Judge Dedman said.
- Agreed to reimburse Boyle County Fiscal Court for any pass-through jail funds received before June 30, pay them $33,750 for joint jail operations and $3,000 for administrative fees for June.
The next meeting of the Mercer County Fiscal Court will be held on Monday, June 29, at 10 a.m. so the county can get all of the bills paid by the end of the fiscal year.
Mercer County Fiscal Courthouse is located at 207 West Lexington Street.
