Corbin District Clerk’s Office staying put rent free

Citing the service it provides to Corbin area residents, including those in Laurel and Knox County, the Corbin City Commission recently agreed to continue housing the Whitley District Court Clerk’s satellite office at city hall.

The office, which oversees district court cases originating the northern, accepts payments to the court, and issues and renews driver’s licenses for residents of Whitley, Knox and Laurel counties, had been scheduled to close in June 2019 as part of a cost-savings move by the Kentucky Administrative Office of the Courts.

In addition, all district court proceedings held in Corbin were to be moved to the Whitley County Judicial Center in Williamsburg.

In addition to the cost, AOC officials cited the lack of court security in moving court, noting that proper upgrades would cost between $93,000 and $127,000 to implement.

However, after local officials appealed to State Rep. Regina Petrey Huff, R-Williamsburg, and State Senate President Robert Stivers, R-Manchester, $50,000 in state funding was secured to keep the Corbin office open through June 30.

That funding will no longer be available.

“There is a tremendous amount of traffic,” said Mayor Suzie Razmus in supporting the request for the office to remain open.

Commissioner Trent Knuckles echoed the sentiment, urging that the office be permitted to stay.

The commission voted 4-0, with Commissioner Andrew Pennington absent, to extend the lease even without the city receiving rent

In other business during the June 15 meeting, the commissioners:

• Approved a resolution authorizing the filing a Coronavirus Relief Fund Application with the Department of Local Government. If approved the fund would help cover police and fire department payroll.
• Approved the appointment of Dave Huff, Jr. to the Corbin Utilities Commission to fill the vacancy created by the recent death of Wendel Mitchell
• Approved a line of Credit at Hometown Bank
• Appointed Dave Huff, Jr. to the Corbin Utilities Commission to fill the position vacated by Wendel Mitchell.

City Manager Marlon Sams announced that beginning in July, city commission meeting would reopen to the public.