Commissioners Vote To Hold Commissioners' Sale

Last updated on Wednesday, January 25, 2017

(BEDFORD) - The Lawrence County Commissioners approved to hold a Commissioners’ Sale on March 29th at 10 a.m. at the courthouse.

According to Treasurer Paula Stewart there are 84 properties that did not sell in the last tax sale. The commissioners now hold a certificate of lien on those properties and will sell those at the Commissioners' Sale.

"We will talk to the joining property owners and let them know about the sale," Stewart added.

The commissioners; Gene McCracken, Rodney Fish and Dustin Gabhart; voted to sell the property at a minimum bid of 25 percent of the amount of back taxes owed.

In other business:

Scott Nikirk, information technology specialist for the county, requested permission to dispose of the county's old computers and printers they are no longer using.

"They are of zero value," Nikirk says. "And need to be taken to the recycling center. Everything that can be used has been taken out of them and now they are just taking up needed space."

The commissioners gave Nikirk permission to recycle the equipment and if any money is generated, that money will be deposited into the county's general fund.

Surveyor Corey Allen requested permission to change the fee schedule for his office. The commissioners approved his request. All colored over-sized copies will cost $10. Black and white standard copies will be $5; scans will cost 25 cents and letter size copies will cost 10 cents.

"This will help us pay for paper and toner," Allen told the commissioners. "Scanning plat maps and surveys have picked up... with the scan they are getting the overall picture instead of getting it in pieces."

Resident Joe Diebert requested the commissioners take steps to fix Sherwood Road.

"It is only 7/10th of a mile," Diebert says. "It needs resurfaced. I understand all about budgets, but we need to get real with this... it looks like a quilt with all the potholes and attempted patch work."

Commissioner Gabhart says he will get with the highway foreman and take a look at the road and see what can be done.

Probation Director Chad Shew requested permission to seek a Department of Correction grant to help fund the problem solving courts and community corrections. The commissioners approved the request.

"This is just another example of funds coming back into Lawrence County through grant funds," says Commissioner McCracken. "It is almost guaranteed money.

Clerk Billie Tumey requested permission to seek an area to store the voting machines and voting documents in a secure area.

They are currently being stored in a locked area in the former museum office.

"Currently we are sharing the area with the treasurer, assessor and auditors offices," Tumey says.

There is a room to the back of the former museum that could be used for the machines and documents, but Tumey is concerned because the room gathers moisture and the voting machines could be damage.

Commissioner Gabhart asked if a secured cage could be built in the larger room and all the items locked into that. Tumey said that would work.

Gabhart says he would assist Tumey in finding a secure place to store the items.

Lawrence County Sheriff Mike Branham reported there were 126 inmates in the jail, of those 16 were female and 10 Level 6 felons. There were no DOC holds.

He also presented the commissioners with the annual jail report.

One change was the jail can house up to 180 inmates up from last years capacity rate of 168.

The average length of an inmate's stay also increased from 26.9 days to 27.7 days.

"That doesn't seem like much but when you add up the cost of housing an inmate, with three meals a day and other costs it adds up quickly," Sheriff Branham says.

And the top reasons people are put in jail remain warrants for petition to revoke or modify probation and failure to appear.

Highway Superintendent David Holmes reported crews are replacing culverts, cutting brush and patching pot holes with cold mix.

Holmes also shared the cost of what crews spent on one day removing snow from county roads - $22,000 was spent on materials and $3,000 was spent paying overtime hours.

Work continues on Bridge 25, the Brent E. Steele Bridge, located on Leatherwood Road near Otis Park. Duncan Robinson is replacing the bridge and must have the bridge finished by May 23.

"They started working on the abutments and work is progressing," Holmes added. "If the weather stays good they may have it completed before the May 23rd deadline, but you never know what February will hold."

The cost of replacing the bridge is $357,527.60.

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