December 18th, 2023 Lewis County Commission Minutes

December 18, 2023 

The Commission met pursuant to order of adjournment on December 11, 2023, with Presiding Commissioner Wayne Murphy Jr., and Associate Commissioners Travis Fleer and Deanne Whiston were present. When and where the following proceedings were had to wit: Commissioner Murphy called the meeting to order: 

Minutes: Commissioner Whiston made a motion to approve minutes for December 11, 2023. Commissioner Fleer seconded; Commissioner Murphy agreed. Approved 3-0. 

Payroll: Commissioner Fleer motioned to approve the payment of warrants #203262-203264 from General fund, warrants #203265-203270 from Road & Bridge fund, warrants #203271 from Assessment fund, and warrant #203272 from LEOF. Commissioner Whiston seconded; Commissioner Murphy agreed. Passed 3-0. 

Payroll: Commissioner Fleer motioned to approve the payment by EFTP of warrants #2404- 2420 from General fund, warrants #2421-2422 from Road & Bridge fund, warrants #2423-2424 from Assessment fund, and warrant #2425-2439 from LEOF fund. Commissioner Murphy seconded; Commissioner Whiston agreed. Approved 3-0. 

Bills: Commissioner Fleer motioned to approve the payments of warrants #31655-31665 from General Revenue, warrants #22045-22051 from Road & Bridge, warrants #5720-5723 from the Assessment, warrants #20809-20815 from L.E.O.F, and warrants #1159 from Co Farm. Commissioner Whiston seconded; Commissioner Murphy agreed. Approved 3-0. 

Road & Bridge: Road and Bridge Supervisor Larry Janes and Secretary Colclough were present. Bladed- #405, 522, 516, 528, 532, 527, 536, 546, 552, 543, 554, 513, 505, 575, 582 

Grading and cutting holes- #403, 450, 456, 482, 433, 419, 418 

Serviced the 1993 Mack changed the oil and filter- cleaned and washed 

Worked on the 2013 Ford plow and sander 

The 1975 loader and 1997 Ford are on Purple wave- the tank needs to be added 

Spot rocked- #522, 528, 546 

Roy mowed LaGrange special #554 and #580- took 5 hours and agreed to $100 per hour 

Other Business: Ralph Martin with IDA gave their latest minutes 

The budget will be available December 21st and the budget hearing will be January 8th- this was sent to the paper 

Foundation Recovery Systems Austin Nickerson talked to the commission- Commissioner Murphy signed the agreement- a check will be mailed for the total December 26th 

Deputy Sly asked the commission if they were meeting December 26th & 29th and the 29th as last date for payments- the commission will meet both days 

Foam injection under the sidewalk Infront of the courthouse was done December 19th 

Commissioner Whiston made a motion to renew Schraeder Laws contract with the county for 2024. Commissioner Murphy seconded; Commissioner Fleer agreed. Approved 3-0. 

Clerk Sapp and Collector Lay need to provide reports and checks for the extra pay to their deputies by December 26th Clerk Sapp’s payment will be put in General Revenue Miscellaneous #101-000-430140 per phone conversation with Commissioner Murphy and Collector Lay’s payment will be put in General Revenue Tax Maintenance Fringe Reimbursement #101-000- 470155 

Commissioner Murphy made a motion to make the starting hourly pay $15.00 at the beginning of 2024. Commissioner Fleer seconded; Commissioner Whiston agreed. Approved 3-0. 

Commissioner Whiston made a motion to give part-time hourly employees a $2.00 an hour raise for 2024. Commissioner Fleer seconded; Commissioner Murphy agreed. Approved 3-0. 

The commission worked on the budget- they met with Recorder Parrish and Collector Lay 

Commissioner Fleer made a motion to give full time hourly employees a $3.00 an hour raise in 2024 excluding employees that have already received a commissioner approved raise/ increase starting pay in the year 2023- Commissioner Fleer per phone conversation made clear this was the Sheriff’s employees because the sheriff gives raises as his budget allows 

Clerk Sapp is being notified that this raise has been in replacement of the unauthorized raise that was given earlier this year to Deputy Sly by Clerk Sapp 

Commissioner Fleer made a motion to give Prosecutor Fellinger’s full time office administrator a $.50 an hour raise because she had already received a $2.50 an hour increase on her starting wage in 2023. Commissioner Whiston seconded; Commissioner Murphy agreed. Approved 3-0 

The commission wrote a letter stating the R-V Fire Department can cut down the tree on the northwest corner of the firehouse at no expense to the county 

Commissioners Fleer and Murphy went to the RPC Annual meeting Thursday December 14th in Memphis 

Commissioner’s Fleer, Whiston and Murphy went to Adair to attend the Second Judicial Budget meeting on Thursday December 14th 

Adjourn: Motion to adjourn to Tuesday, December 26, 2023, by Commissioner Whiston. Commissioner Fleer seconded; Commissioner Murphy agreed, passed 3-0. Respectfully submitted: