A special meeting of the Boyle County Fiscal Court was held on the 2nd day of June, 2015 at 9:00 a.m. Fiscal Court members present were:

Patty Burke

John Caywood

Donnie Coffman

Jack Hendricks

Dickie Mayes

Phil Sammons

Judge Harold McKinney

Others present at the meeting were Deputy Clerk Tina Cox, County Attorney Richard Campbell, Allen Goggin, Danny Lay, Lee Welty, Mary Lawrence and Kimberly Bartley.

Judge McKinney called the meeting to order and gave the invocation. Magistrate Sammons led the Court in the pledge of allegiance.

Judge McKinney advised that the purpose of the special called meeting is to discuss the Conservation District budget and to determine how it will be funded. Two options for funding are imposing a millage tax or funding the budget from the General Fund. If approved, the millage tax would be 1.25 cents per $100.00 dollar assessed value.

Kim Bartley, Division of Conservation field representative, discussed the budget with the Court. The Conservation District has received funding from the Fiscal Court since 1940. The budget currently includes funding for one part-time employee, three days per week. The increased revenue would allow for a five day work week. The millage tax would be assessed on real estate only. There are currently around 11,000 real estate parcels in the conservation district.

The proposed $194,000.00 budget would require some negotiating from both the Fiscal Court and the Conservation District. One item that could be moved from the County’s budget and added to the conservation budget is the dead animal removal line item of $50,000.00. All in all, Ms. Bartley commented that the proposed budget was for long term financing of the Conservation District and not a “wish list”. They have planned for increases in employee expenses and office operations. The new revenues would help finance programs that are beneficial to all County citizens. One main concern for citizens is the quality of water from Herrington Lake. The “repair and restoration” program is designed to help farmers with rotational cropping and pasturing. While the district has no regulating authority, they can provide education to the land owners.

After lengthy discussion, Judge McKinney proposed funding the budget with a 1 cent per $100 assessed value millage tax. He explained that the district would keep the dead animal removal program and should be able to operate on a $150,000.00 budget. The millage rate would be included on the 2015 tax bill beginning November 1. Funding would not be available until December. The Fiscal Court would have to finance the District for a short time. The District would have to work off a “bare bones” budget until then.

Judge McKinney proposed two guidelines for the Court to consider. First, the funding of $15,000.00 by Ordinance to the District to cover operating expenses until January 1, 2016. The County will pay the dead animal removal expense for the first two quarters of 2015. With the proposed millage tax, the District would be accruing a full year tax collection but only paying a ½ year of expenses. This should put them in a good position on reserves to start their next year budget.

Magistrate Mayes made the motion to authorize Judge McKinney to instruct County Attorney Campbell to draft an ordinance proposing a one cent per hundred dollars assessed value millage tax for the Conservation District. Magistrate Burke seconded the motion. The motion passed with all members voting in favor.

Magistrate Sammons made the motion to authorize payment of $15,000.00 to the Conservation District payable in the first quarter to help fund until December 2015. Magistrate Caywood seconded the motion. The motion passed with all members voting in favor.

Magistrate Coffman made the motion to adjourn. Magistrate Caywood seconded the motion. The motion passed with all members voting in favor.

Adjourn,

Harold W. McKinney

County Judge Executive