The Bell County Fiscal Court approved several payments for work being done on the Flash Steelworks building at Tuesday’s regular meeting.

These included: $15,955.00 to Community Ventures for Invoice #9, $45,700.41 to Dakotas America for Invoice #9, $154,367.49 to DelMae, LLC for Invoice #8, $950.00 to CSI for Invoice #20615 and $650.00 to CSI for Invoice #20758; $9,097.45 to JMT for Invoice #13 and $245,126.45 to Green Construction Company for Invoice #14. All payments are to be paid when funds are available.

Magistrate Eddie Saylor asked Judge Executive Albey Brock how things were going at Flash Steel and at the Boone’s Ridge wildlife center.

“Things are going great at Flash Steel. On the electrical we’ve signed all the contracts and the contractor is out there with the green light to go,” Brock said. “We signed the contract ten to twelve days ago. We’ve done all we can do, now it’s just getting them to do their part.”

He said the building is on schedule to be completed on time and everything is expected to be finished by December.

“They seem to be progressing (at Boone’s Ridge). We had a conversation about trying to get one of them to come to a court meeting in the next month or so,” Brock said.

Also on Tuesday bids were opened for concrete, stone, tires, culverts, diesel, and asphalt. Bids were received from Hinkle Contracting,Willis Paving, Martin Marietta, Brooks Tire, JBS, Interstate Construction, Hudson Materials and Jones Oil.

The court voted to approve the bids as received to be reviewed to be sure they meet all specifications and award them appropriately.

In other business, the court:

• approved a resolution authorizing the Judge Executive to make application for and, upon approval, to enter into agreement with the Kentucky Office of Homeland Security (KOHS), to execute any documents which are deemed necessary and administer the project and to act as the authorized correspondent for a grant that will provide new radio equipment for the Sheriff’s Department;
• approved a resolution adopting and approving the execution of a County Road Aid Coop Program Contract between the Fiscal Court and the Commonwealth of Kentucky, Transportation Cabinet, Department of Rural and Municipal Aid, for the fiscal year beginning July 1, 2024, as provided in the Kentucky Revised Statutes, and accepting all roads and streets referred to therein as being a part of the County Road System;
• appointed Gerldine Jeffers to the Bell County Board of Assessment for a three-year term to replace Charles Evans (Board Members cannot be reappointed for three years);
• appointed  Nathan Frey to the Bell County 109 Board to fill the remaining term ending in 2025 and Adron Wilson to the Bell County 109 Board to fill the remaining term ending in 2026;
• hired Adam Miracle as full-time worker at the Bell County Road Department at $13.00 per hour effective May 16;
• hired Richard Barlow, Jacob Elliott, Matthew Holcomb, Devon Hoskins, and Madison Phipps as part-time deputy jailers at the Bell County Detention Center at $9.00 per hour effective May 16;
• changed Jacob Bower from part-time dispatcher to full-time dispatcher effective 5-23-24 May 23;
• changed Julie Miller from part-time employee to full-time employee at the Bell County Animal Shelter effective May 23;
• changed Kevin Collins and Robert Young from part-time deputy jailers to full- time deputy jailers effective May 23;
• accepted checks in the amount of $83,625.98 from Sheriff Mitch Williams and in in the amount of $21,585.23 from County Clerk Debbie Gambrel.