Published: November 21, 2008 04:15 pm            

Court mulls ambulance and pay for constables

Magistrates consider light agenda

WHITLEY CITY— The Veterans Day holiday prompted McCreary County Fiscal Court to meet on Wednesday rather than Tuesday last week.

With a rather light agenda, the court’s routine votes were less noteworthy than what was discussed without formal action. Among those items was a request from District 1 Constable Jamie Higginbotham for more pay. The county’s four constables receive only $109 per week.

“We can’t afford gas to patrol the highways and we sure can’t afford to maintain the vehicles as needed,”

Higginbotham wrote.

In addition to their weekly wages, the constables were also provided with a $500 gas allowance in this year’s county budget. McCreary County Judge-Executive Blaine Phillips noted that McCreary is one of only two counties which still pay constables at all.

District 2 Magistrate Roger Phillips suggested that the constables be allowed to bring their vehicles in to the mechanic at the county road department. The mechanic has done similar work for the sheriff’s office.

The constables would be required to furnish parts and would have to wait if county-owned vehicles were being repaired first.

In other requests, McCreary County EMS Director Amy Barnett asked permission to prepare a bid package for two new trucks.

Of the five-ambulance fleet, three have over 300,000 miles. The county is still paying on the last truck purchased.

“We’re really spending a lot on maintenance,” Barnett said.

The court took no formal action Tuesday but can consider several options. The department could refurbish one of the existing ambulances or try a “reverse auction.” Sheriff Gus Skinner also suggested that the same USDA grant program through which he recently purchased new cruisers

would also be available for ambulance purchasing. The county would be required to match grant funding by 20 percent through this program.

Following last month’s presentation from Advanced Correctional Healthcare’s Mike Coffey, the court again took no action regarding bulk contracting for supplies (particularly medicines and food at the jail). However, Jailer Tony Ball told The Record at press time that he is preparing to sign with Diamond Pharmaceuticals as recently mandated by the state.

According to Ball, the company would save the county money because its medicines are distributed in blister packaging which can be returned upon an inmate’s release. Traditional bottle prescriptions would go with the inmate at the county’s expense.

Ball also said he is negotiating with other companies in case he can beat Diamond’s fee schedule.

“We have 30-60 days to opt out of the contract if we can find a better price,” Ball said. “It’s what has to be done.”

Medical expenses at the jail has often been a sore point between Judge Phillips and Ball. This year $125,000 has been allocated for that

particular line item in the jail’s budget.

        

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