Corbin commissioners seek municipal order on list of streets needing blacktop

The Corbin City Commission wants a list of streets in need of blacktopping.

At Monday’s quarterly work session, Commissioner Trent Knuckles asked City Attorney Bob Hammons to draw up a municipal order that requires that the commissioners receive the list by March.

“It needs to be a requirement,” Knuckles said.

Knuckles made the request after it was reported that three streets, Texas Ave., Ruggle Street and Spruce Street, have been delayed because of the weather.

“I think the problem is we don’t put together a road list early in the year,” Knuckles said noting the 2018 list was provided to the commissioners in September

“We would have more time if we had a list approved and didn’t wait until October to do it,” Knuckles said.

Knuckles said with public works employees out on the streets and roads so frequently collecting garbage and performing maintenance, they would best know which streets are in the worst condition.

Knuckles asked that Public Works Director Gary Kelly be responsible for generating the list.

Kelly replied that he has done so in the past, only to have the commissioners significantly alter it.

“I used to turn in a list by June and it was picked apart,” Kelly said. “The commission would take half my list away and do what they wanted.”

Corbin City Manager Marlon Sams assured the commissioners that a list of roads needing paving would be ready by March.

Knuckles also questioned the number of meetings of the code enforcement board.

The board, which is scheduled to meet on the first Monday of each month, met four times in 2018.

“I think four times a year is unacceptable,” Knuckles said.

Code Enforcement Officer Mike Mahan said the board only meets when action is required from the members.

“Most of the stuff is repeated stuff,” Mahan said. “I don’t bring them in because I’m handling the stuff.”

Knuckles, who previously served on the code enforcement board, said the members frequently bring up code enforcement issues during the meetings they had personally observed.

Knuckles emphasized that he has seen a significant increase in the code enforcement efforts since Mahan was hired.

However, he noted that the code enforcement officer must have the board’s approval to issue demolition orders or place liens on property over maintenance violations.

In other business the commissioners:

• Approved the purchase of the property at 301 Ford Street.

Sams said the property would be used to provide additional parking for the recreation center.

The price was not disclosed as the sale had not yet been finalized.

• Heard from Wallace Smallwood of Cloyd & Associates on the annual financial audit for the fiscal year ending on June 30.

Smallwood noted that the city’s cash balance was $4.082 million, up from $3.586 million in 2017.

The city’s general fund had approximately $8.6 million, generated primarily through taxes, fees for services, regulatory fees and intergovernmental revenue.

That was an increase of $448,071 over 2017. The Corbin Arena fund showed an increase of $313,391.

Smallwood noted the majority was the result of the city commission paying off The Arena’s short-term debt.

Among the material weaknesses noted in the audit was a failure to follow and implement controls over salary adjustments.

Specifically the audit noted that any salary adjustments for city employees must be approved by two of the three members of the financial committee. The committee is made up of two commissioners and the city manager.

“There was a lack of diligence in this area,” the audit stated noting that if the situation is not corrected it may lead to a situation of unfair compensation or confusion concerning proper compensation.

The issue stems from the incident that led to Sams’ suspension in August.

While declining to go into specifics, Mayor Willard McBurney and several commissioners stated it involved inaccuracies in the budged process relating to payroll.

Officials emphasized that Sams never financially benefited.

“I did make a mistake. I admit to the mistake,” Sams said previously.

Auditors also noted a lack of segregation of duties over cash deposits in some areas.

When asked about the specific department, Smallwood explained it was not the city collector’s office, but the recreation department.

According to the audit, cash payments to the city should be avoided if possible.

In addition, the deposits should involve three employees with one logging the cash, a second assembling the deposits, and the third making the deposit.

“All deposit receipts should go back to the original employee and checked against the log and also should be checked against the records of the person assembling the deposit,” Auditors explained adding that without these controls in place deposits may be lost.