Rob Lincks
Brock appointed Lincks the Bell County Deputy Judge.
As a full-time deputy judge, Lincks will earn $39,800 per year.
“It is my intention to double my staff from one to two,” said Brock during the fiscal court meeting. Currently, the only employee besides the judge is Secretary Clara Miracle.
“This is not me trying to help a buddy and it’s not me trying to get out of work. This is me trying to make the county judge’s office more productive,” said Brock.
Brock also stated that he was trying to get more service to the taxpayer quicker.
“Unfortunately for Rob, it makes him somewhat a political person,” said Brock. “His job security would be somewhat lessened as a result to him being deputy judge, especially when the judge gets replaced.”
Brock believes that Lincks is very capable of performing the duties of his new job. “I have confidence that Rob will be a valuable asset to the county.”
Rob Lincks worked at State Electric before becoming the Bell County Chamber of Commerce Executive Director in 2009. He was elected to serve on the Middlesboro City Council in 2006 and was re-elected in 2008.
Adventure tourism was also a focus during the meeting. The court approved an interlocal agreement for the multi-county Kentucky Mountain Trail System. This agreement allows the adventure tourism initiative at a state level to connect counties together by trail. This would ultimately be mapped.
“Someone, for example, might go to Letcher County and be able to legally ride into Bell County over the course of a day,” said Brock about the initiative.
With the approval of a joint resolution authorizing the filing of a Kentucky LGEDF project grant application, students are closer to being able to study funeral science services at Southeast Community and Technical College. Currently there is only one school for funeral directors in that state, located in Louisville.
The project grant application allows up to $1,000,000 for the project. This is a multi-county coal severance request. The joint resolution also includes Harlan and Letcher counties.
“This helps create jobs within the college, and it brings people from outside the area to our area,” said Brock.
The court also approved a second joint resolution between Leslie, Clay, Harlan, Perry, and Bell counties. This resolution is for a large county veterans cemetery project in Leslie County. The project grant application is up to $2,000,000.
The Department of Transportation was present at the meeting to address the court regarding the Rural Secondary Road Program recommendations. Robert Perkins gave a presentation.
The total funds available for Bell County is $1,372,300. Of that amount, $495,000 will be used by crews to maintain roads. The majority of the funding will go to Fonde Mountain. It will be used for the repairs.
The judge did speak briefly on about the Bell County Volunteer Fire Department. He stated that there is a small window of time before having to commit to placing stations in the Arjay and Colmer communities.
“We are trying to be prudent and patient and (we) hope that the public will continue to express how they feel about those stations being closed,” said Brock.
As far as insurance for home owners goes, the status that the communities do not have a fire station will be in effect June 1.
Other business taken care of at the meeting includes:
Approval of minutes of previous meeting.
Pay bills and make necessary transfers.
Accept treasurer’s financial statement for previous month.
Accept sheriff’s claim sheet for fee account for last month.
Approve 1st reading of Budget Amendment No. 5.
Nominate Bob Wilson, Bruce Nunn and Irma Brooks for the citizen member to the Cumberland Valley ADD Board.
Approve a resolution requesting the Kentucky Department of Transportation install a sign acknowledging Taylor Olivia Thomas as 2011 Petite Miss Kentucky.
Hire Mary Charles Goodin as part-time deputy jailer at $7.25 per hour effective 2-14-12.
Change Shane Howard and Aaron Sinkhorm from part-time to full-time deputy jailer effective 2-14-12.
Give judge the permission to advertise for bids on FEMA projects for Patterson Road and Clear Creek projects.
Accept the Carter Branch Extension into the Bell County Road System in District 5.
Accept checks from Bruce Bennett, Sheriff in the amount of $148,053.15.
Accept checks from Becky Blevins, Clerk.
Accept Marvin Beverly Road into the Bell County Road System in District 2.
Give judge permission to sell at auction a tract of land located in the Newtown community.
Is the secretary the same person associated with the Frakes fire department? Maybe she could tell us how much it costs to operate one station for a year. We know they do a good job so that should be a reasonable figure for each of the two closed stations. Just fund the budget for that amount and we're back in business.
What's taking so long, judge? Is this going to take another four years?
I wonder how much the Judge pays his secretary.
The public should also express an opinion on the JE continuing to tax people all over the county and then not funding any fire protection. What is going to be done with those accumulated funds? Since the fire department has gone to a different funding method, why do we still need this at all? The JE was a little short on answers.
Does the JE claim the rescue squad and Frakes fire department are owned by the county?