By Frank Phillips
DLC Media News
BRAZIL – Clay County will pay for a study of housing needs in Clay County.
The study is needed to determine where new housing should be built, Moss said. There are undermined areas in the county that could collapse under new construction.
Roads, sewers and water infrastructure are the three biggest areas of concern, said Thomas and Moss.
The Council agreed by consensus to commit to the study, which will cost $18,000.
This is the same study presented by Ryan Keller, CEO of THRIVE West Central at April’s County Commissioners and County Council meetings (see those stories on this website.)
“We all said the same thing,” Sinders said. The Commissioners “agreed this is something we have to do.”
(NOTE: You can hear an extended interview with Ryan Keller about county growth on “Focus on the Community” on this website. Scroll below the news stories on the main page.)
In other business:
*Two people who work for the Clay County Circuit Court will be getting raises, thanks to Judge Joseph Trout’s plea to the County Council on Monday night.
Last month, the judge explained he cannot keep valuable employees very long because they can make much more money doing the same jobs in other county courts.
On Monday night, Judge Trout brought many pages of documentation for the county council members to consider. At the end of Judge Trout’s presentation, Councilman Jason Thomas made the motion to increase the salaries of both employees. The motion passed 7-0.
*Commissioner Paul Sinders asked the Council for an additional $60,000 for legal work. The motion passed 7-0.
The outside attorney retained by the county in the litigation brought by three non-citizens who were incarcerated in the Clay County Jail has told the county to expect another lawsuit to be brought on behalf of the same people concerning the jail.
The earlier lawsuit was dismissed by the judge.
After the meeting, Sinders said the new legal work could cost the county an undetermined amount of money.
County Council President Larry Moss said the county’s insurance may help pay the legal costs for the new legal work.
Even if Clay County wins again, the plaintiffs are not expected to have to pay Clay County’s legal costs.
Sinders and Moss both indicated they think the lawsuit is frivolous and will be dismissed.
(See accompanying stories on this website.)
*Sheriff Brison Swearingen said concrete work is done and in the next few weeks many semis carrying manufactured jail cells will be seen, delivering those cells to the jail expansion.
*The cost of printing expenses for the auditor’s office will cost $2,500 more than anticipated. Money was transferred from another account to pay for that expense. The request was approved 7-0.