ONLY ONLINE: County leaders prioritize projects for coal severance funds

The Whitley County Detention Center, Whitley County Public Library, the Corbin Public Library, Corbin and Williamsburg schools’ youth service centers and the Williamsburg Senior Citizens Center are at the top of the priority list to receive funding for specific projects through Whitley County’s share of Kentucky’s coal severance tax money in fiscal year 2016, but that is because they were at the bottom of the priority list established for fiscal year 2015.

At Tuesday’s monthly meeting of the fiscal court, the magistrates unanimously approved a resolution prioritizing the projects to be funded with the revenue generated by state taxes on mined coal.

Noting that the county received approximately half of what was estimated, the magistrates unanimously approved a motion to set the projects that were not funded with the 2015 funds, at the top of the list to receive funds in the 2016 fiscal year.

Whitley County Project Director Amber Owens noted that nine of the 16 projects on the 2015 list were funded, including $10,000 each to Corbin and Whitley County schools for equipment and upgrades, $5,000 to Cedar Ridge Ministries for supplies, equipment and operations, and $3,000 each to the Emlyn, Oak Grove, Patterson Creek, Pleasant View, South Whitley and Goldbug volunteer fire departments for equipment.

Owens said she did not have details on the various projects, which total $31,000.

Should those projects be funded, any leftover money would go towards other projects on the 2016 fiscal year list.

Judge-Executive Pat White, Jr. told the magistrates that the 21 projects on the 2016 list are inverse of the 2015 list in order to give as many different organizations and projects as possible a chance to receive a portion of the funds.

Also on the revised 2016 list is the Emlyn, Goldbug, Oak Grove, Patterson Creek, Pleasant View, Rockhold and South Whitley fire departments to each receive $3,000 for equipment.

Additional projects on the 2016 list include:

• $5,000 for equipment and upgrades at the sheriff’s department

• $10,000 for equipment and upgrades at Corbin Independent Schools

• $10,000 for equipment and upgrades at Whitley County Schools

• $10,000 for equipment and upgrades at Williamsburg Independent Schools

• $5,000 for equipment at the Whitley County Detention Center

• $5,000 for equipment at the Williamsburg Fire Department

• $5,000 for equipment at the Corbin Fire Department

• $5,000 for equipment at the Corbin Police Department

White noted that any projects that are not funded would not necessarily make the list in 2017 when the legislature is tasked with passing a new budget. The decision on what local projects make the list is made by local legislators. The fiscal court is then charged with prioritizing the list of projects.

The coal severance tax was established in 1981 to return money from the production of coal to the coal producing counties.
One-half of the revenue on the sale of minerals is transferred to the fund.

30 percent of the fund is used on road projects involving coal haul roads. The remainder is used to fund grants to finance public safety, environmental protection, public transportation, health, recreation, education, social services, industrial and economic development, vocational education, workforce training and secondary wood industry development.

In other business the fiscal court:

• Approved a memorandum of agreement for the FEMA March and April Declaration Disaster for repairs to Dow Road and Jellico Creek. Owens said the funds totaling $158,110.78 will be used to reimburse the county for emergency repairs when slides closed the roads and to make permanent repairs.

to serve as the drop-off facility for Whitley County Animal Control.

• Approved the appointment of Larry Reynolds to the Cumberland Falls Highway Water District Board.

• Tabled a motion on a petition to close Galilean Children’s Home Road and a portion of Singing Hills Road.