By Jeremy D. Wells
Carter County Times
Judge Executive Brandon Burton opened Monday night’s regular meeting of fiscal court by acknowledging the giant check in the room. The check, representing the more than $11 million in investments from the administration of Governor Andy Beshear in high speed internet expansions in Carter and Boyd counties, reflects impacts that the community is already seeing in places like Willard, where the extension work is ongoing, Burton said.
“With these funds received, they will be able to reach almost 2,800 more homes in our county, in our rural communities,” Burton said. “I believe this will help our families with school aged children with getting internet rather than having to drive to a hotspot just to use their (device). This will be a faster, more reliable internet source for those communities.”
He said those curious about the targeted areas could contact his office for more information.
“If you live in a rural area of the county, and want to find out if your area is (among) those 2,800 homes, you can call my office and we will direct you for assistance,” he said.
“They’re wanting to figure out where they internet is not really strong in Carter County,” Burton continued. “But it’s a win-win for Carter County. This is something that I’ve really jumped on since being elected. I was very happy and pleased today to get this grant, and I was very happy that Governor Beshear was able to get this for us, so I appreciate that.”
Burton then moved into public comments, accepting feedback from Dennis Seagraves about the work contractors are doing on the fiber optic installation.
In other business the court moved to accept bids for repairs on the Robin Run slip, and moved to renew their allotment of $30,000 in state fire department funds.
The allotment was once again based on the percentage of call volume each district receives and responds to, as it has been in previous years.
Norton Branch, with 42% of total calls to county departments, received $12,600 of the funding. Grahn, with 25% of the calls, received $7,500. Hitchins, with 23%, got $6,900. While Carter City, with 10% of the county’s calls, received $3,000.
These numbers were based on a total of 580 calls received between July of 2022 and June of this year.
The numbers are up significantly from the same period last year, when the departments answered 411 calls with Norton Branch answering 45% of those calls, Grahn 27%, Hitchins 18%, and Carter City 10%.
The court also moved to accept claims and transfers, and to waive the rent fee for the county attorney, which attorney Brian Bayes explained helps fund additional help for child support enforcement.
The court also moved to approve a request from the jail to surplus three vehicles – two Ford Crown Victorias and a single Chevy truck – and began the process of taking Allen Lane out of the county road system, setting a hearing for October 9, prior to their next regular meeting. The court also discussed beginning the process of removing a portion of McCoy Road from the county road system, so that it can be taken into the city of Grayson’s road system. Magistrates Harley Rayburn and Chris Huddle volunteered to go look at the road and begin the process.
Before concluding the meeting Bayes took a moment to thank police and other first responders for their tireless work. He noted they have been especially busy over the last two weeks, with an uptick in overdoses and other drug related responses. His office, he noted, has been called out nine times over the last two weeks. He commended the police, fire, ambulance, and 911 employees for their diligence during that time.
“They’re putting in the hard hours,” Bayes said.
Contact the writer at editor@cartercountytimes.com
