MANCHESTER — The Clay County Fiscal Court approved a wide range of items during Thursday afternoon’s regular meeting, including infrastructure projects, personnel changes, grant funding and economic development initiatives.
Before regular business began, the Fiscal Court recognized Barbara Colter after she recently received the Nancy Mitchell Women in Leadership Award at the 5th District Lincoln Club Dinner. Colter addressed the court and reflected on her years of service as a teacher, school administrator, state legislator and business owner before receiving a standing ovation from those in attendance.
The court also recognized several local organizations and agencies receiving opioid settlement grant funding, including Celebrate Recovery, Thompson Scholars, Volunteers of America, Cumberland River Comprehensive Care, the Clay County Detention Center and the Clay County Board of Education.
During the business portion of the meeting, magistrates approved the minutes from previous meetings and accepted the Treasurer’s Monthly Settlement Report. Fiscal court members also heard a presentation regarding a road dispute from Ralph Rogers.
Several financial and administrative items were approved, including payment to the Clay County Clerk’s Office for the calculation of 2026 motor vehicle and boat bills in the amount of $3,511.95 and approval to pay election officers and election expenses upon receipt of statements from the County Clerk.
The court also approved a resolution authorizing the transfer of Martin Luther King Jr. Park to the City of Manchester.
Personnel matters included acknowledging Joey Collins as a Daniel Boone Development employee assigned to the Road and Bridge Department at $13 per hour, approving Donald Jenkins from part-time to full-time paramedic status at $16.50 per hour and hiring James T. Madden for the Road and Bridge Department at $13 per hour.
Fiscal court members also accepted the 2025 KMPG Emergency Management Grant totaling $13,890.79 and authorized County Judge-Executive Tommy Harmon and other officials to sign the necessary paperwork related to the funding.
Infrastructure and development projects were also a major focus of the meeting. Magistrates approved moving forward with a proposal for high-speed internet and broadband service expansion and approved resolutions establishing Blanket Rock Road as a public road and officially adopting it into the county road system.
The Fiscal Court additionally approved payment of $63,347 to the Clay County Board of Education for its share of Forestry Title 1 receipts.
One of the largest items approved during the meeting was the acknowledgment and acceptance of a $1.03 million grant award for the Livestock Marketplace Construction Project, a development local officials believe will strengthen agriculture and economic activity in the county.
Magistrates also discussed and approved spending related to “The Good Continues” event and acknowledged receipt of the Sheriff’s 2024 tax settlement audit report.
The meeting concluded with approval of county bills and adjournment.
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