PINEVILLE - Eleven people were appointed Tuesday to the Bell County 911 Board, which will oversee the implication of the enhanced 911 emergency telephone response system during the company year.

“This board will have to be very active in the coming year,” Bell County Fiscal Court Judge Executive Albey Brock said at Tuesday morning's fiscal court session. “It's not going to be the kind of thing where you're on the board but don't show up for the meeting.”

Approved by the fiscal court to the board were Chris Arnett of the U.S. Post Office; Bell County Sheriff Bruce Bennett; County Deputy Sheriff David Cornelius; Geraldine Jeffers, county property value administrator; Jim Killion of Bell County Ambulance Service; Pineville Police Chief Bill Matthews; James Miracle of Pineville/Frakes fire departments; Linda Patterson, Bell County Dispatch; Josh Sherman; Rodney Wilder, Bell County Volunteer Fire Department; and Paul Wilson, Bell County Emergency Management Director. Brock said there likely would be more people appointed to the board as it becomes organized.

The fiscal court also approved a resolution regarding electrical inspectors for Bell County. Brock explained that in 1997, a resolution was passed that allowed only four electrical inspectors in Bell County in order to maintain local responsibility for local inspections. Since that time, four of the original Bell County inspectors have retired, and the sole remaining inspector from Bell County is working with a backlog.

The new resolution allows inspectors to come from counties other than Bell County. Brock said that so far, two potential inspectors have been identified - one each from Harlan and Knox counties. The amended resolution also allows for a total of five inspectors to be appointed. Brock said the court hopes that anyone knowing of qualified inspectors residing in Bell County will encourage them to express interest in the appointments.

In other business, the fiscal court:

€ Adopted and approved the execution of a county road and cooperative program contract between the fiscal court at the Commonwealth of Kentucky for fiscal year beginning July 1, 2007.

€ Approved an amendment to the Bell County Administrative Code Policy allow to court to be fiscal agent for Operation UNITE.

€ Changed William McGeorge from part-time to full-time dispatcher, effective today.

€ Appointed Mary Akers to the Bell County Public library Board of Trustees, term to expire Feb. 28, 2009.

€ Hired Justin Callebs as full-time mechanic helper/laborer at the Bell County Garage, effective March 26.

€ Gave approval to Brock to advertise for bids on the Bird Branch project, for ambulances, an animal shelter vehicle, and a sheriff's cruiser.

€ Approved payment of $144,910 to DWB Builders, Inc.;, for demolition at the Bell County Detention Center.

€ Approved a resolution for the county to be the local sponsor of the least costly nonstructural plan for flood damage reduction.

€ Accepted monthly checks from the sheriff in the amounts of $37,367.57 (property taxes), $85.29 (fire acres), $997.04 (gas), and $9,584.55 (franchise).

€ Accepted a claim sheet from the sheriff for $95,747.79 in fiscal fees paid to Bell County Fiscal Court.

James-Clifton Spires is senior staff writer for The Daily News. His e-mail address is jcspires@middlesborodailynews.com.