Department reports touch on wide range of issues

May 9—GRAYSON — A regular meeting of Carter County Fiscal Court included typical department reports from various county agencies which revealed future endeavors, obstacles and gratitude.

Carter County Sheriff Jeff May was up first to discuss the happenings within his agency. While the sheriff didn't have much to report on numbers-wise, he took a moment to acknowledge his fellow first responders.

Following a fatality last week on the Grayson spur of the AA highway involving two pickups and a semi, May offered a solemn salute to those who responded to the crash.

"It was one of the worst ones I've seen in a while," May said of the accident that claimed the life of 42-year-old Philip Konopka of Grayson.

Judge-Executive Brandon Burton briefly added a "thank you" to county road workers who happened to be traveling that stretch of road during the accident.

"They really stepped up in a pretty bad and critical time and did everything they could ... I applaud them," said Burton.

"That's what we get paid to do, but that stuff don't go away," May said, "Twenty-one years on May 2 I've been doing this. This stuff don't ever leave you."

May told those in attendance to not only thank a first responder when they see one, but, "keep us all in your prayers."

Rick Loperfido, executive director of Carter County EMS, followed the sheriff's report, addressing the need for a stand-alone emergency room in Carter County.

Loperfido said he was hopeful King's Daughters Medical Center's recent merge with UK HealthCare would restart conversations to aid in cutting down transport time.

He proposed the nursing complex in Grayson that currently serves as an urgent care could transition to a stand-alone ER similar to St. Mary's in Ironton.

"It's a long process," Loperfido said. "That's the busiest urgent care in their system. Ten percent of our runs come from there."

Loperfido said consistent trips to Ashland and St. Claire in Morehead are causing some serious wear and tear on trucks. "I have nothing right now under 100,000 miles," he said.

"It's not good for patient care either," Loperfido said, explaining an average call takes an hour and a half to two hours.

Carter County Clerk Mike Johnston addressed the court next, taking time to discuss his frustrations with the primary election turnout.

"There's an election going on right now and a lot of people don't even know it. Nobody is voting and it's sad," Johnston said, adding only two people voted on Friday and another two on Monday.

"It costs us as much to vote 500 people as it does 10,000. It's really aggravating," he said.

Johnston said early voting starts Thursday and the Olive Hill Post Office will be open Thursday, Friday and Saturday for voting.

"Everybody gripes at you, but if you're going to complain, vote," he concluded.

Joe Lambert, director of Carter County 911, discussed adding Carter County Schools to the county's dispatch following the recent creation of a police department for the school system.

Lambert said he was approached by R.D. Porter about dispatching for the school police, which will go into effect next school year, according to Lambert.

Porter is the long-time school resource officer who was announced as the school system's chief of police.

"The court needs to decide if we're willing to dispatch for them and if we'd charge a dispatch fee," Lambert said.

May said he, too, had been approached by Porter who had plans to "piggyback" off the sheriff office's frequency.

"In the event that something does go bad in the schools, we'll be the first ones to hear it," May said, presenting a positive of the school using the frequency.

May also voice concerns regarding who would foot the bill.

"We're going anyway, so it's not a bad thing, but you all have to make that decision whether we're gonna do it for them for free or we're going to charge them something," May said.

Lambert said he anticipated three officers using the frequency, but based on his discussions with Porter, believed all Carter County schools would have their own officer eventually.

Lambert said Grayson Police Department has a monthly fee of $3,300.38, Olive Hill Police Department pays $2,416.67 monthly and Carter EMS pays $1,650.19 a month.

Lambert said if the school paid, it would assist in offsetting cost in operations and repairs.

The court plans to meet with Porter, May and Lambert later this week to work out logistics and potential cost of using county dispatch.

(606) 326-2652 — mjepling@dailyindependent.com