Fiscal Court passes ordinance to address nuisances in the county

    In a lengthy agenda, the Pendleton County Fiscal Court moved on holding a second reading and passing the nuisance ordinance.
    District Four Magistrate Rick Mineer who made the motion to accept the ordinance commented after it’s passage, “This is a good start and will speed up the process in 80-90 percent of the cases. It’s a good start in cleaning up the county.”
    It was a point echoed by District Two Magistrate Josh Plummer who seconded Mineer’s motion. “I am happy that we are moving forward with this.”
    The Nuisance Ordinance is designed to “address the accumulation of filth, trash, motor vehicles and/or parts, dilipated dwellings, or other similar organic or non-organic materials within” Pendleton County.
    District One Magistrate Alan Whaley who along with Mineer saw the rewriting of this ordinance begin with the last fiscal court said, “I am glad to see it come to fruition.”
    Between the first reading and the second reading, the court addressed some wording as it pertained to “repeat offenders.”
    County Attorney Stacey Sanning explanined that the maximum fine per violation that can be leveled is $500, but if they “don’t clean it up then the fine is everyday it is not fixed or $500 per day.”
    Mineer asked what happens if the landowner does not address the issue.
    “We would file a lien against the property first. The county could pay to have the property fixed and the costs become a lien also. We could foreclose and sale the property by the master commissioner.”
    At the end of the meeting, Mineer expressed that he was ready to move forward and discuss the Nuisance Ordinance Code Director at the next court meeting.
    Fields indicated that he has not heard from either Falmouth or Butler on whether on being involved in having a person to enforce the nuisance ordinance as well as other code violations throughout the county and both cities.
    All of the county ordinances can be viewed at www.pendletoncounty.ky.gov under the heading Government and Ordinances. The Nuisance Ordinance is among the first listed.
    The court approved the NorthKey contract and 2020-21 agreement with Air-Evac.
    Fields informed the court that a Pendleton County resident who has not chosen to get the extended coverage with Air-Evac and does not have insurance could face a $500 bill if they need air care services The Air=Evac contract saw a $4,284 increase to $54,284.
    Designed to address the care of Pendleton County cemeteries, the county is reforming the cemetery board. Gary Barnard has agreed to be reappointed for a single year while Rick Brown and Fran Carr will serve for two years and Billy Newman for three years.
    “We have had a line item of $5,000 for them as well as there is some state grants for them,” said Fields.
    As the court examined the bills and transfers, questions arose on a Bourbon County Detention Center bill for a prisoner detained there for 43 days.
    Sanning said to the court, “That ridiculousness is Covid-related. They won’t take them out of one detention center and transfer to another because of Covid.”
    Pendleton County has a contract with Campbell County to house individuals. In this case, the person had an oustanding warrant and was picked up in Harrison County. They housed the person in Bourbon County.
    Fields commented that “they won’t move them to other detention centers.”
    When Mineer pointed out that the jail bill is back up, Sanning explained that defendants are not showing up for court and then bench warrants are being issued for their arrests.
    Plummer indicated he was recently viewing information about FEMA grants for small towns.
    Fields said, that the court is “not eligible for none.”