THE CASEY COUNTY FISCAL COURT MET IN REGULAR SESSION MONDAY.
HOLLY SCOVILLE, WITH LEDCOR GROUP, ADDRESSED THE COURT CONCERNING THE KY WIRED PROJECT, WHICH IS BRINGING A HIGH SPEED BROADBAND FIBER NETWORK TO THE STATE. THE PROJECT IS DESIGNED TO COVER KENTUCKY IN A SIX RING NETWORK DESIGN. CASEY COUNTY IS INCLUDED IN RING THREE, WHICH COULD BE COMPLETED IN EARLY 2020. THE FIBER OPTIC NETWORK WOULD BRING CAPABILITY OF DOWNLOADING A THREE HOUR MOVIE IN ABOUT 15 SECONDS, ACCORDING TO MISS SCOVILLE. INITIALLY, REPRESENTATIVES OF DUO-COUNTY TOLD THE COURT THAT ONLY CERTAIN SECTIONS OF THE COUNTY WOULD BE ABLE TO ACCESS THE HIGH SPEED NETWORK, MAINLY GOVERNMENT BUILDINGS AND SOME BUSINESS AREAS. THE COURT QUESTIONED IF THAT WOULD BE THE CASE AND MISS SCOVILLE SAID NO. ONCE INSTALLED, THE SERVICE WOULD POTENTIALLY COVER ALL AREAS OF THE COUNTY THROUGH ISP PROVIDERS. DUO COUNTY TELECOM IS SEEKING A FRANCHISE AGREEMENT WITH CASEY COUNTY AS A SERVICE PROVIDER. THE COUNTY MUST GRANT ACCESS TO EASMENTS AND RIGHT OF WAY SO THAT WORKERS CAN ACCESS THE EXISTING POLES TO MAKE READY FOR THE NEW CABLE. NO ACTION WAS TAKEN LAST NIGHT. MORE INFORMATION IS AVAILABLE ON LINE AT KENTUCKY WIRED PROJECT DOT COM.
TWO REPRESENTATIVES FROM THE LAW FIRM OF McBRAYER, McGINNIS, LESLIE & KIRKLAND ADDRESSED THE COURT TO OFFER CASEY COUNTY THE OPPORTUNITY TO JOIN LITIGATION IN THE OPIOID LAW SUIT AGAINST MANUFACTURERS AND DISTRIBUTORS OF THE DRUGS, WHICH HAVE RESULTED IN AN EPIDEMIC OF ADDICTIONS, AND CONSEQUENT EXPENSES ASSOCIATED WITH THE PROBLEM. JARON BLANDFORD, AND DAVID GUARNIERI PRESENTED INFORMATION TO THE COURT THAT NEARLY 2.6 MILLION AMERICANS ARE SUFFERING FROM THE ADDICTION TO THESE DRUGS. THE PROBLEM HAS LED TO MASSIVE EXPENSES ON EVERY LEVEL OF GOVERNMENT, DOWN TO THE COUNTY LEVEL INCLUDING ARRESTS, INCARCERATION, PROSECUTION, AND MEDICAL TREATMENT IN RELATION TO OPIOIDS. COUNTY ATTORNEY, TOMMY WEDDLE, ASKED, IF SUCCESSFUL, HOW THE PROCEEDS FROM THE SUIT WOULD BE SPLIT UP. GUARNIERI SAID IT COULD WORK A NUMBER OF WAYS, INCLUDING BASED ON A COUNTY BY COUNTY NUMBER OF USERS OF THE DRUGS, WHICH IS ACCOUNTED FOR BY THE STATE ATTORNEY GENERAL'S OFFICE. NO ACTION WAS TAKEN ON THE SUBJECT LAST NIGHT.
THE SHERIFF'S DEPARTMENT'S PRE-AUDIT EXCESS FEES, IN THE AMOUNT OF JUST OVER $33,400 WAS ACCEPTED AS THE DEPARTMENT'S QUARTERLY REPORT WAS APPROVED BY UNANIMOUS VOTE.
IN ROAD BUSINESS, THE COURT WILL SOON ACCEPT DUMP TRUCK BIDS, AND APPROVED RURAL SECONDARY RECOMMENDATIONS WHICH INCLUDED RESURFACING AREAS OF TWO COUNTY ROADS, KY 1649 AND KY 501.
THE BOARD THEN WENT INTO EXECUTIVE SESSION.
