Bell County Judge-Executive Albey Brock opened Tuesday’s Fiscal Court meeting by observing a moment of silence in honor of the recent passing of former magistrate Harold Gibbons.

“We lost another member of the court family, Harold Gibbons,” Brock said. “Harrold served as magistrate for a number of years, I want to say 20. He served on the court with my grandfather back years ago. He infamously lost an election one time by one vote, I remember that well.

“Harold was a good friend. I know his family is hurting, like a lot of our older patriarchs he was a big part of his family. He was a devout grandfather, father, real close to his family. I want to take just one moment of silence for Harold Gibbons.”

As the meeting resumed, Magistrate Eddie Saylor asked if there were any updates on the Wildlife Center or Flash Steel. Brock said he hadn’t talked to anyone from Boone’s Ridge since the last meeting but could only repeat what he had heard from Green’s Construction before.

”At that time he felt like they could get (the sewage treatment plant) done by the end of the calendar year,” Brock said.

At Flash Steel they are waiting to do one last concrete pour inside that would have the building ready for the equipment to be installed.

“I spoke with Mr. Cola last week and he informed me that the equipment for Middlesboro was 90-percent ready and they actually could start bringing it down here, but they didn’t want to bring it and then have to move it inside the building later and have to handle it twice,” Brock said. “Everything is kind of coming together at just the right time.”

Saylor also asked if the county had any conversations with Nally & Hamilton Enterprises about them fixing Balkan Road.

“The community up there had been informed that Nally said they would fix that road,” Saylor said.

Brock said that was not the case.

“I think where the confusion could be coming from, is if you remember back in the spring when we had that big rain event that caused the slide across 119, 2012 moved, Kettle Island flooded. It was one of the worst flash flood events we’ve had,” he said. “In the course of that, Nally had offered to help shore up state route 2012 that they run their trucks across. I don’t know what became of the negotiations between the state and Nally.”

Brock said that as far as the county road is concerned, residents were adamant years ago that they did not want coal trucks and mining traffic on Balkan Road and the county prohibited that traffic.

“Obviously, Nally — nor would I if I was Nally —isn’t going to  come in there and fix that road and not be able to use it. If the sentiment has changed amongst the majority of the community and they’re comfortable with having those trucks on that road, I certainly would approach Nally about fixing it,” Brock said. “We’ve got a good relationship and we’re very thankful to have them here. They’re probably our biggest mining operator left and they’ve always been good partners in the past. It wouldn’t be right to ask them to fix the road and not let them use it.”

Saylor also shared concerns he had heard about whether the Cumberland River would be affected by the proposed hydroelectric plant at Lewis Ridge.

Brock said the river would not be touched at all for that project.

“There’s a small tributary up there that runs into the Cumberland. It’s their intention to block that off and pump from it to fill the pond,” Brock said. “The Cumberland won’t be impacted in any way. There will be no dam, there will be no kind of big structure or pumping station or any of that to pull from the Cumberland.”

Brock also said he had not heard anything about the Corps of Engineers looking to buy property in the area related to the project.

In other business, the court:

• Accepted Rendy Lee Road Right into the Bell County Road System in District 1

and Deer Ridge Road, Camie Lane, Sharps Woods Lane, and Perkins Road into the Bell Count Road System in District 5.

• Approved payment to First State Bank for the amount of $8,300.11 for Flash Steelworks as well as payment to Total Electric for the amount of $7,500.00 for Invoice #9823, and Allen & Hoshall for the amount of $34,431.53 for Project 82057(to be paid when funds are available).
• Hired Brandon Wilson as part-time Court Security Officer at $10.50 per hour effective Feb. 27.
• Hired Megan Williams as part-time worker at the Bell County Animal Shelter at $9.00 per hour effective Feb. 13.
• Hired Kaylin Penix as part-time EMT at $11.50 per hour effective Feb. 13.
• Hired Brian Hoskins and Caden Kindle as full-time workers at the Bell County Road Department at $13.00 per hour effective Feb. 13.
• Accepted checks in the amount of $280,371.47 from Sheriff Mitch Williams and in the amount of $16,682.29 from County Clerk Debbie Gambrel.