No decision yet on new 911 director

Local News

November 2, 2009

By HEATHER PAYLES, Staff Writer The Commonwealth Journal Mon Nov 02, 2009, 07:50 PM EST

Somerset — No decision has yet been made in the search for the new Pulaski County 911 Director.

The search for a replacement for former director Rick Barker has been a long and arduous one, and during last week’s Pulaski County Fiscal Court meeting, it was announced that a decision would be delayed again.

Pulaski County Judge-executive Barty Bullock said the 911 Board, which had taken over the application process from fiscal court, asked that more information be given about the applicants. Once that information is received, Bullock said the board will decide on a replacement.

The 911 Board is made up of Pulaski County Sheriff Todd Wood, Somerset Fire Department Assistant Chief Skip Norfleet, Somerset-Pulaski County EMS Chief James Latham, Kentucky State Trooper Doug Boyd, Commonwealth’s Attorney Eddie Montgomery and Pulaski County Public Safety Director Tiger Robinson.

During last Tuesday’s meeting, the court also heard a request from Jewell Florea, with the non-profit organization People for Ethical Government, that the county work to update its Web site and allow the public to view certain documents relating to county business.

Stating that the updated Web site “will provide the perfect opportunity for you gentlemen (the court) to demonstrate your commitment to transparency,” Florea said that the organization requests that numerous county documents be placed on the Web site.

Fiscal court agendas, fiscal court minutes, current and past budgets, monthly, quarterly and annual finance reports, revenues and expenditures — including check numbers, dates, and purpose — and annual audits were some of those documents the organization asked the fiscal court place online.

Road work documents, including contracts, specifications, bids and awards, along with any equipment declared surplus, purchase price, date, and bids and sales were also asked to be placed online.

“Most of these records already exist in electronic form in the county’s computers, so placing them on the Web site should not require a tremendous amount of time and effort,” Florea said. “Now is the time to open the county checkbook to public inspection so that taxpayers can see how their money is being spent.”

The court did not comment, but Bullock thanked Florea for her request.

In other news from last week’s meeting:

• The court held the second reading of an ordinance to establish the Pulaski County Cemetery Board, an advisory board which would work under the authority of the fiscal court to help decide which cemeteries in the county are in need of preservation work, cleaning, and repairs. That board must be created so the county can receive state funding to help preserve those cemeteries.

The court also held a short public meeting to take questions and listen to concerns about the ordinance. No comments were expressed from the public.

• The court approved the clean-up of properties at 130 Carroll Street and 36 Parkway Court. No one currently lives on those properties.

• Public Safety Director Tiger Robinson informed the court that a new rescue boat for the Pulaski County Rescue Squad would be arriving within the week, but he said a digital sonar system to locate victims and bodies and objects such as cars in deep water has yet to be purchased. The court approved opening the bidding process for the sonar system, which Robinson said would cost between $30,000 and $40,000.

• The court approved taking Lisa Bella Road and Northern Crossing Road into the county road system. Bullock said a public hearing was held, and that no members of the public made any comments for or against the decision.

• The court approved removing the end portion of Cooks Chapel Road from the county road system. Bullock said several members of the public attended a public hearing about the decision, and that one person was in favor of the removal.

• A committee was appointed to study several roads. The court received a request that 2,663 feet of Country Acres Drive be taken into the county. 339 feet of Corner Drive was also requested to be taken in, along with 476 feet Field Drive and 466 feet of Country View Drive. Those roads are located in the same subdivision.

The court also appointed a committee to study Joshua’s Way. The court received a request that 180 feet of that road also be taken into the county road system. A committee will also look at Johnny Drive, in Hilltop Subdivision, to be taken into the road system.

• A request was also received by the court that the last 2,914 feet of Clines Road be removed from the county road system. A committee was appointed for that task as well.

• The court accepted the county health insurance plan for the next year.

• The court approved a 25 mph speed limit on William Sears Road.

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Pulaski carries Girdler to win

In the weeks leading up to Tuesday’s primary election, it was impossible to miss the colorful signs dotting nearly every Pulaski roadway. The names in the race for the 15th State Senatorial District seat popped out: A.C. Donahue. Chris Girdler. Mark Polston.

Once citizens hit the ballots, however, the results mirrored the dimensions of the signs themselves: Chris Girdler stood the tallest.

Girdler, deputy district director for Congressman Harold “Hal” Rogers, ran away with the votes inside Pulaski County’s borders, earning 3,926 votes for 62.05 percent of the total number cast.

That number more than doubled the next highest vote-getter, businessman Mark Polston, who raked in 1,624 votes for 25.67 percent.

However, Polston — who owns Classic Carpet, a home-flooring business located just off the southern 914 bypass — can claim a moral victory ... three of them, in fact. In all three counties in the district other than Pulaski — those being Adair, Casey, and Russell Counties — Polston actually edged out Girdler.

In Adair, Polston beat Girdler 629 to 394. In Casey County, it was 538 to 417, and in Russell, it was 1,862 to 1,038.

Polston said he just “couldn’t pull it out with the numbers” and that “the machine worked for” Girdler in Pulaski County.

“I think that was their strategy — I think they had a Pulaski County strategy all along,” said Polston. “They played the political game well.”

Polston said the difference between his and Girdler’s campaigns was that “mine was a very, very grass roots campaign,” he said. “I did not have a political machine behind me. I understand how this process works, and in this instance, he prevailed.”

As for why Girdler didn’t take three of four counties, the winning candidate — since there are no Democrats in the race, winning the Republican primary was effectively a final victory for Girdler — said he didn’t have an answer for that.

However, “I believe things happen for a reason and I hope the long and strenuous campaign will only heighten my desire to move beyond the bitterness and partisanship of the recent past,” said Girdler.

“Regionalism is a goal of mine, and I look forward to helping all four counties,” he added, noting that he campaigned heavily in each of them.

Sen. Vernie McGaha, the long-time state senator whose seat the candidates were vying for, actually supported Polston after Liberty’s Todd Hoskins dropped out of the race earlier this month.

Donahue, a local attorney, got 556 votes in Pulaski County, 8.79 percent of the vote. He only received 145 votes in Russell County, 74 in Adair County, and 75 in Casey County, where hometown candidate Hoskins almost matched him with 71 votes despite no longer being officially in the race.

Polston said he’s “still digesting” what happened, and though “the process has been a very good experience for me,” he wouldn’t commit to running again in the future. “I wouldn’t shut the door to anything, but I’m not opening any doors either.”

Still, “I think I got a lot of people involved in the process that had not been involved before and would not have been otherwise,” he said. “A lot of people got out and worked really hard, got motivated to talk to friends and neighbors. I think a lot of people became involved through this campaign that are going to be involved for a long time.”

Girdler stressed his “positive message” and said that Rogers is a “mentor and good friend” that he would turn to for advice in dealing with a frequently combative legislative body in Frankfort, one for which Girdler hopes to help change the culture.

Girdler said that he was “confident and optimistic” during the day Tuesday because he’d “worked extremely hard.” Nevertheless, the realization that he’d won gave him “chill bumps,” he said.

“I’m absolutely honored,” said Girdler. “The position of state senator is more than an honor, more than an office. It’s a charge to keep, and I will give it my all.

“I pledge to be the people’s state senator,” he added. “I look forward to working with everyone to move this region forward.”

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