Meeting in regular session last Monday the Lewis County Fiscal Court gave second reading to the Mandatory Garbage Collection Ordinance and moved to adopt it. Every county resident now must contract a local, permitted garbage hauler to pick up their trash or meet one of the requirements for exemption.

The action prevents the state from coming in at a later time and taking over the program.

Doug Padgett and Kevin Cornette from Buffalo Trace appeared before the court and explained the need to initiate a new county addressing system.

Cornette said that the current system is about 50-years-old and is outdated. It makes finding locations difficult for emergency services.

The idea is to give all the numbered roads names based on geographic location.

Padgett told the court that the project would take about 18 months and cost $50,000 split between two fiscal years. He also pointed out that if the county goes with Enhanced 911 establishing the new addressing for the county is the first step anyway.

Cornette added that without the system the county would not be eligible to apply for certain funding available from the state.

The court moved to enter into a contract with the Buffalo Trace Area Development District to begin the new county addressing.

The court quickly moved to donate $200 to the Vanceburg Shop-With-a-Cop Christmas program and granted the city permission to install Police and Fire Department radio repeaters on the County Tower.

Jim Lane, Wildlife Program Coordinator for the Kentucky Department of Fish and Wildlife Resources, presented the Court with a sample ordinance that would prohibit the possession of certain species of dangerous, exotic wildlife in the Commonwealth.

After his explanation the Court gave the ordinance its first reading and approved that reading.

The ordinance stipulates that the possession or importation of the following dangerous exotic species is prohibited: African buffalo, hippopotamus, hyenas, old world badger, lions, jaguars, leopards, tigers, clouded leopards, cheetahs, elephants, rhinoceroses, gorillas, baboons, mandrills, gelada baboons, gavials, crocodiles, alligators, caimans, sea snakes, cobras, coral snakes, adders, vipers, venomous rear-fanged species, gila monsters, beaded lizards, komodo dragons, wolverines, bears, wolves or wolf hybrids and cougars or mountain lions.

Lane explained that circuses, zoos, licensed game preserves and other legal forms of entertainment would not be affected by the ordinance.

The ordinance defines "exotic wildlife" as "terrestrial wildlife species which have never existed in the wild in Kentucky or been extirpated from the state and could not be reasonably expected to survive in the wild if introduced."

The animals listed are considered dangerous and are not suitable for pets. They have the potential to transmit venom or do damage to native ecosystems. Some are not capable of being domesticated.

Hinton said the estimated budget receipts stand at of $1,526,325 with expenditures of $1,505,607. That would leave excess fees of $20,718.

She said that last year’s actual excess fees totaled $16,197.08.

The court then approved the budget for the Sheriff’s Office. Lewis County Sheriff Bill Lewis said the budget for the 2004 calendar year calls for $357,509.

The court then turned to the subject of needed appointments.

Gary Kegley was appointed as a full-time operator for the Lewis County Road Department.

Richard Christy was re-appointed to the Garrison-Quincy Water Commission.

And the number of commissioners on the Garrison-Quincy Water Commission was increased from three members to five. Judge Executive Steve Applegate explained that the upcoming sewer project and the increase in responsibilities accompanying that project made the additional commissioners necessary.

The court then approved the appointment of Barry Heart to a two-year term and Andy Lucas to a four-year term on the Commission.

The court moved to authorize the advertising for bids to remodel the courthouse restrooms and to upgrade the plumbing.

Larry Fannin, a resident of Fannin Lane near Black Oak, told the court that the road has two blind spots on the hill that constitutes a traffic hazard and asked if something could be done to correct that situation.

Judge Applegate said that the county might be able to widen the road or do more to enforce the speed limit on Fannin Lane and promised to look into the matter immediately.

At the request of Lewis County Jailer Tim Underwood the court passed a resolution to help the jail recoup some funds from the inmates for medical expenses.

Beginning on Wednesday, December 17, the jail may charge the following fees:

* Booking fee $20

* Co-pay prescription $10

* Co-pay over the counter medicine $5

* Out of jail doctor visit $25

* One-half co-pay Dentist

* One-half co-pay for lab work, X-rays, out patient services or hospitalization

An inmate’s ability to pay will be taken into consideration when the charges are levied.

The resolution stipulates that the money may be taken out of state pay, money the inmates have on account or money brought to them while they are in jail. Up to 50 percent of any money brought to the inmates at the jail may be deducted to offset medical expenses.

The court moved to accept a deed of corrections for the right of way at the A.D.R. Subdivision near Tolleboro.

Meeting in regular session last week the Lewis County Board of Education heard good news regarding the district's performance in the No Child Left Behind initiative.

Belinda Forman reported that the school district met 12 of 12 target goals for 100 percent and met the Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) for 2003.

Breaking the report down school-by-school Forman said that Garrison Elementary made nine out of ten target goals or 90 percent and did not meet the AYP this time. To meet the goals a school must meet 100 percent of its target goals.

Laurel Elementary met three of four target goals for 75 percent. She explained that when a school does not have a large population it gets a lot of N/As because some of the goals are not applicable because the school must have enough students in each category to set a target goal.

Central Elementary met nine of ten target goals for 90 percent and did not meet the AYP. The fifth grade students in the free and reduced lunch category in math did not make enough gain.

Lewis County High School met ten of ten target goals for 100 percent and met its AYP.

The Middle School met eleven of twelve target goals for 91.7 percent and did not make the AYP for 2003. They did not meet it under students with disabilities in reading in the seventh grade.

Tollesboro Elementary met nine out of nine goals for 100 percent and met its AYP.

Foreman pointed out that the AYP scores lag an academic year behind. Some of the schools that did not meet the AYP for the current report are up this year.

However, when the scores were compiled for the entire district the schools did reach 100 percent of its target goals and met the AYP.

Superintendent Maurice Reeder, Jr. said that overall he is pleased with the district's performance. He explained that across the state only 31 percent of the school districts met their target goals, and Lewis County is among that group.

Tim Douglas, Principal at Tollesboro Elementary and Jendra Enix, Principal at the Lewis County High School explained to the board how the schools use the data analysis from the CATS scores to help each student improve academically.

Enix told the board that the schools wanted to go visual with the material and posted several charts on the walls of the meeting room to illustrate how the charts help the educators see the results of the scores. Using the data analysis in such a fashion the teachers can see the strengths and weaknesses of their programs and make adjustments to improve classroom performance.

Enix told the board that the number of students reaching the proficient and distinguished categories is increasing.

The board also approved granting the board members present at last month's session one hour each for training as a result of the presentation Belinda Forman and Barbara Kennedy gave on the No Child Left Behind Program initiated by President George W. Bush. Board member Jack Sapp was not at that session so arrangement was made for him to receive that same presentation one day after work.

Reeder then asked the board to approve the bid for worker's compensation insurance but lamented the fact that the cost has increased over $90,000 since last year. The low bid from Kentucky School Board Insurance was for $127,967. Last year it cost $38,000. Reeder said that the benefits did not increase but the cost did. He said that the insurance companies blame 9/11 for the increased rates. Since the board had no other alternative that bid was approved.

The board approved matching the Fiscal Year 2004 KETS offer of assistance in the amount of $21,956. This is a matching fund program and that means the school must match the amount of the offer.

A change order for the renovation and construction at the Middle School was approved. It gives the school credit for $653 because white birch doors were ordered but natural birch doors were received, and they are less expensive.

The board approved the concept of flexible professional development. The PD is scheduled for certain days but other times may be scheduled as well in order to accommodate busy teacher schedules.

As a result of a doctor's recommendation the board granted a request for a waiver for one special needs child. The doctor said that because of the student's physical and medical problems the child should only go to school for half a day.

Superintendent Reeder explained to the board that some teachers retire at midterm and that could leave the district short on fully qualified teachers. In order to solve that problem in the event it occurs at midterm the board approved emergency teacher status so any emergency teachers needed could be hired.

The board approved the following field trips: LCMS (Miller and Burriss classes), newspaper office, Portsmouth, Ohio; Central Elementary Gifted/Talented students (Reeder), Union Terminal, Cincinnati, Ohio; Tollesboro Elementary (Boling and Gastauer classes), Clark Planetarium, Portsmouth; LCHS Girls Basketball team (Tammy Underwood), over night trip, Pikeville.

Meeting in regular session last week the Electric Plant Board of the City of Vanceburg got an update on the Southern Lewis County Water Project.

Superintendent Phil Kennedy said that all the water lines are in and done. According to Kennedy the state inspectors came in on Thursday, December 4, and were tickled to death with the project.

Kennedy told the board that the contractor said it was the best project he has had in 42 years of work.

Of the 441 customers signed up 228 of them already have water in their houses, and the others will soon.

Kennedy reported that the service in Laurel and Quicks Run is complete. The water tank is in and filled in Indian but needs to be disinfected before water is available. The pump stations were fired up last Tuesday, December 9.

He informed the board that the success of the project has resulted in a financial shortage of about $85,000. On one side of the water lines the contractor gets $550 for each tap-on and $650 for tap-ons on the other side. The project estimate called for 385 customers but now has 441. That resulted in the project going over budget.

Kennedy told the board that the SCATA System is 75 percent completed. When the installation is complete he plans to give the board members a tour to show them what the computerized system can do.

He also informed the board that he has received no word from Grayson this month regarding the St. Paul issue.

The superintendent reported that the company has received a $28,000 payment from FEMA, and that the tree trimmers are still trimming limbs away from utility lines.

Kennedy explained that the sewer system has some problems stemming from the February ice storm and some violations must be corrected. However, the company now has only one employee where it used to have three. He said that Mark Griffin is a great employee but one person just cannot handle the job. The board authorized him to hire a part time Class Three worker to run the plant on some weekends.

At the suggestion of Charles Stapleton the board decided to provide 2004 calendars for the customers. They can be picked up when the public comes in to pay their bills. Kennedy said the calendars would probably be available before the first of the year.