County Wraps Up 2024 With Solid Finances

According to McCreary County Finance Officer Debbie Gilreath, the County is doing a good job with finances.

“Just like with our finances at home, we hope to pay all our bills and still put some back for a rainy day,” Gilreath told McCreary County Fiscal Court members during their December meeting on December 12, 2024.

According to Gilreath, the ambulance service remains self-sustaining for the year.

“It is almost unheard of in any county government that the ambulance service is not struggling to keep the doors open, and this one is thriving.  That takes some strong management and my hat is off to them.”

EMS Director Jimmy Barnett acknowledged McCreary EMS is now doing well, after struggling with understaffing earlier in the year.

“I appreciate all that Fiscal Court has done to help us get the staffing situation under control,” Barnett said.

Gilreath continued, noting the road department paid for a new backhoe completely.

“Even with that expenditure, their revenue is ahead of projection and expenses are still below budget.”

According to Gilreath, jail expense remains a concern.  However, based on Casey County jail where the population is similar to McCreary County, she noted that the amount spent by McCreary County during the last six months using transport and contracted jail space would only have funded the expense of operating a local jail for seven weeks.

“And that is just operational expense, not the millions it would take to build a jail,” Gilreath clarified.

Gilreath reminded the Court and citizens that Judge Green wants complete financial transparency and that she is available to answer questions and provide information when needed.

The Court acted on several other matters, including the following.

-Tabled action on bids for airport hangar building construction.  Grant funding for the project totals about $200,000.  Both submitted bids surpassed that amount.

-Approved the amended 2024 budget, 2024 budge, and 2025 annual order setting maximum salaries for county clerk deputies.

-Approved 2025 annual budget, 2025 annual order setting maximum deputy salaries, and state advancement funds for the Sheriff’s office.

-Approved adding Rainbow Circle Road to county inventory.  The road has eight residences on it.

-Approved the first reading of proposed ordinance 610.2, increasing the electric inspection fees and rough in fee from $75.00 to $100.00.

-Nominated Ricky Shelton to replace Mike Wilson and reappointed Holly Daugherty to another term with the McCreary County Extension Board.  Lacie Shelton was reappointed as alternate and Tim Grooms replaced Zach Laprade as an alternate.

-Approved $5,000 to Southern Kentucky Business Park.  McCreary County received $52,552.85 from the Park’s occupational tax revenue.  Since 2012/13, the county has received $432,785.09.

Members of the court heard department head reports.

-EMS-EMS made 401 runs in November.  In 2024, EMS traveled 253,279 miles (equivalent to ten times around the earth) and brought in $1,885,000.  911 answered 1,065 calls in November and answered 11,545 this year.  EMS received grant funding to upgrade the radio, ATT phone, and recording systems.

-In November, the McCreary County Park received $1,590 in rentals from the Sandhill RV park and $665 from the County Park. Rental fees collected thus far in 2024 total $29,953.

-The county collected a total of $172,483.56 in occupation taxes in November.  ABC (alcoholic beverage) collected $9849 in October, with merchants collecting $208,911.  ABC Director Brenda Blevins cautioned citizens to refrain from drinking and driving.

-County Road Supervisor Tony Kidd gave November’s report including:  62 potholes repaired in November, 41 signs erected/repaired in November, use of slope mowers and cleaning ditches in November, 772 tons of rock spread in 2024, 55 truckloads of items hauled off from Dump Days, 474 roadside dumps cleaned up this year, and over $1 million worth of paving completed on county roads this year.  Kidd said the county has 350-400 tons of salt for winter.

-County Attorney Austin Price warned citizens to be leery of $100 bills as counterfeit bills have circulated in McCreary County.  He said the counterfeit bills are difficult to distinguish from real ones.

-EMA Stephen McKinney described some of the work done through his department.  He noted McCreary County has mutual aid agreements with surrounding counties.  As part of a coalition, McKinney said the county has received a three-person cooler, EMS trailer in case of natural disaster, and overdose kits.  EMA has also been busy ridding the county of surplus equipment and writing grants.

The McCreary County Fiscal Court’s next regular meeting will be Thursday, January 9 (the second Thursday of each month), 2025, at 6:00 p.m. in the Courthouse.