Magistrate

Dear Editor, On Nov. 2, the voters of Boyle County’s Magisterial District 1 will have the opportunity to re-elect Mickey Harmon, an experienced and effective magistrate on the fiscal court. Mickey, an accomplished athlete, successful farmer and dedicated, capable public servant, has what it takes to ably represent the people of his district. His service as a deputy sheriff, sheriff, deputy PVA, jailer and, most recently, magistrate, uniquely qualifies him for another term on the fiscal court.

Dear Editor, For the past 35 years it has been a pleasure to be able to call Phil Sammons a friend. During this time, if we needed any help, Phil was just a phone call away. As magistrate of District 3 he has been the very same way. From non-profit organizations (such as the Danville-Boyle County Humane Society) or a clogged culvert, Phil Sammons has always been willing to help get the problem solved. Phil's only agenda is to help the people of his district, and all citizens of this county, to have a better Boyle County of which we all can be proud.

Boyle County Magistrate Jim Ryan is in Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center with pneumonia. Several members of the Fiscal Court went to visit him Tuesday. Judge-Executive Tony Wilder said Ryan was better but still in grave condition. The magistrate has had one lung removed and has pneumonia in the other one.

Brent Woodrum, 47, of 509 Cardinal Terrace, has been nominated by the Boyle County Democrats to run for District 4 magistrate. The late Jim Ryan, who died March 24, had filed for office. Ryan's wife, Ruth, has been nominated by Boyle Fiscal Court to finish Ryan's term. The nomination has to be confirmed by Gov. Ernie Fletcher. Woodrum, a farmer and developer, will run against Republican Robert Earl Robertson in November.

Dear Editor, I am writing this letter in support of Joey Griffin Sr. for 5th District magistrate. I have known Joey most of my life. I have known him to be a loyal, creative, honest and hard-working. When Joey told me he was running for 5th District magistrate, he said, "I do not pretend to know all there is to know, but I' m going to find out. " That was such a refreshing comment to be spoken from a person seeking office. Joey Griffin has the integrity to shoot straight with his constituents and the desire to find the answers that best represent the 5th District and all of Boyle Co. Joey Kirk Danville

PAINT LICK - A Garrard County magistrate who was kicked by a bull Wednesday on his Cartersville Road farm will undergo surgery today at the University of Kentucky Chandler Medical Center. Marvin Conn, 76, was rushed to Pattie A. Clay Hospital in Richmond in the early afternoon Wednesday where X-rays determined his right shoulder and hip were broken. He was then taken to UK for surgery. "He was in great spirits when I talked to him," said Judge-Executive John Wilson, who was in Lexington for a meeting when he heard of the accident.

James Ryan Jr., a Boyle County magistrate and former Danville police chief, died Friday at Ephraim McDowell Medical Center. He was 73. Ryan, who was elected as Fourth District magistrate in 2002 after serving more than 27 years with the Danville Police Department, was known as a dedicated public servant who was happiest when he was working for the community. "I've known Jimmy for most of my life and I just feel such a profound sense of loss," said Boyle Judge-Executive Tony Wilder.

LANCASTER - With a  July 1 deadline looming, some magistrates in Garrard County are concerned they haven't yet seen a preliminary budget for next fiscal year. This concern has prompted three magistrates, Joe Leavell, Fred Simpson and Betty Holtzclaw to call a special budget meeting, scheduled for 7 p.m. Tuesday, June 4.  “We are not trying to create a problem where there is not a problem,” Magistrate Fred Simpson said, but “It's time we saw a preliminary budget.”  He and Leavell stressed that there was no major conflict, they simply wanted to see the budget sooner, rather than wait, as “that's no position to be in,” Leavell said.  “We just want to make sure we're doing our job,” Simpson said.  A year ago, when the budget was being drafted for fiscal year 2012-13, the court became heated, as some magistrates did not agree with certain parts of the budget.

STANFORD - A performance contracting company is looking into the possibility that Lincoln County could make some major energy efficiency upgrades to its government facilities without adding anything to its bottom line. Lincoln County could potentially undertake $100,000 or more in upgrades that would reduce utility bills, said Matt Callahan with the Cincinnati-based energy efficiency company Perfection Group. Through projects coordinated by Perfection Group, organizations pay for upgrades with the savings they realize on their utility bills from the upgrades, Callahan said.

Though U.S. Army Lt. James Taylor died in combat more than 40 years ago, Boyle County Magistrate John Caywood still thinks of him almost every day. Caywood, now 70, was drafted to fight in the Vietnam War just one month after marrying his wife, Martha. After extensive training, he went to Vietnam as an Army lieutenant for a 15-month tour. Caywood ended his service as a second lieutenant in November 1970. Caywood, a Danville native who moved back to the community after Vietnam, acknowledges that he and his comrades fought in a historically unpopular war. On Memorial Day and other days of the year, he hopes members of the general public will favorably remember the 58,000 people who died fighting for their country in Vietnam.

Jessamine County Fiscal Court magistrates got a first-hand look Tuesday at the inside of the Jessamine County Detention Center and some of the reasons the jailer says the building is in need of upgrades and an expansion. So far this year, the center has averaged 176 inmates per day, jailer Jon Sallee said. It is designed to hold no more than 138. It has held as many as 200 at one time since the beginning of the year, he said.  The jail has just two isolation cells, one for men and one for women, when it should have separate cells for intoxicated inmates.

A proposed county fireworks ordinance sizzled out Tuesday when the Jessamine County Fiscal Court failed to make a motion for its approval. The proposed ordinance, which was presented to the court last month by Jessamine County Fire Chief Mike Rupard, would have restricted the sale and use of Class C fireworks, which basically are fireworks that shoot up in the air, Rupard said. After a lengthy discussion that dominated a special-called meeting last week, the court voted 5-1 to have county attorney Brian Goettl prepare the proposed ordinance, which would have mirrored the city of Nicholasville's, and bring it back to the next meeting.

STANFORD - The Lincoln County Fiscal Court is hoping to supplement its annual income by leasing out approximately 40 acres of land for crop farming. Magistrate Joe Stanley said three county-owned fields south of the county animal shelter and road department along U.S. 27 could bring in $8,000 to $10,000 per year if the county leases them out to farmers who want to grow corn or soybeans. "We really hadn't been doing nothing with it other than just letting someone cut hay off of it and we were generating no income," Stanley said.

The widow of former Lincoln County Magistrate Dexter Todd has filed a lawsuit against Ephraim McDowell Regional Medical Center and others, claiming that the anesthesia he received at the hospital was a “substantial factor” in his death. Brenda Todd of Crab Orchard filed the complaint last week in Boyle Circuit Court naming the medical center, Danville Anesthesia Associates, Dr. Bill E. Barnett and nurse Crystal Carpenter as defendants. It seeks an unspecified amount of compensatory and punitive damages.

STANFORD - Lincoln County magistrates are considering paying $12,000 for an emergency alert system that could notify residents by phone calls, emails and text messages. Emergency Management Director Donnie Gilliam told the Lincoln County Fiscal Court Tuesday that Houston-based emergency communications company DeltAlert has offered to provide three years of emergency notification service for its two-year price of $12,000. The price tag is much cheaper than previous estimates for emergency notification service, which had been as much as $17,000 per year.

STANFORD - Lincoln County magistrates seem to be largely in agreement that digital radio upgrades for the county's sheriff and other emergency responders are essential, despite a hefty price tag. Fiscal court members met with emergency management and other public officials for about an hour Friday to discuss how the county can meet a fast-approaching deadline to comply with new Federal Communications Commission regulations that go into effect Jan....

STANFORD - Magistrates grudgingly approved Tuesday more than $1,000 in plumbing repair costs for the Lincoln County Regional Jail. Judge-Executive Jim Adams said the jail recently had some plumbing issues and called Roto-Rooter in Lexington to make the repairs. The bill from Roto-Rooter totaled $1,065. “We're responsible for the jail and we're responsible for those prisoners and we need to pay this bill,” Adams said. After servicing the plumbing, Roto-Rooter employees refused to leave until they received payment, but agreed not to cash a check until after the fiscal court approved payment, Adams said.