NICOLE TRACY
Reporter
NASHVILLE – Concerns about the necessity of more custodial staff at the Howard County Courthouse was a topic of discussion at the monthly Howard County Quorum Court meeting on Tuesday.
Justice of the Peace Janice Huffman raised the topic during the meeting, explaining how the bathroom closest to the revenue office had been closed for three days due to its uncleanliness, including human waste that was smeared on the walls. Huffman wanted to know who was responsible for cleaning the bathrooms.
County Judge Kevin Smith stated that the courthouse had been using 309’s from the county jail for cleaning, and that they were the only ones who clean the bathrooms, and that the County was having a hard time getting 309’s to use. The County currently has two part time workers who come in to clean two hours after business hours at the courthouse.
After a discussion about the need to have a clean courthouse, the consensus was to look into what the part time custodians priorities are on cleaning, and seeing about working bathrooms into the list, as well as looking into the possibility of hiring another custodian to help ensure the courthouse is clean.
County Treasurer Sheri Mixon gave the monthly financial report, and stated that the county now has a total of $192,354 in unappropriated funds. Mixon also stated that interest from the county’s CD’s had started coming in, with one bringing in $806 every six months, as well as $5,944.77 combined from the county’s other CD’s. A motion was made by Huffman to take the interest from the CD’s and place it in the county’s Contingency fund. JP Brent Pinkerton seconded the motion, and it passed unanimously.
Resolution 2016-01 was also heard during the meeting, which would allow Howard County to apply for a Community Development Block Grant on behalf of the Howard County Children’s Center. The resolution was passed, and a Citizen Participation Plan required for the grant was also adopted by the Quorum Court.
Members present were JP’s Dick Wakefield, Dennis Mauk, Jerry Harwell, Kerry Strasner, Bobby Don Turner, Archie Cothren, Martha Hobbs, Brent Pinkerton, and Janice Huffman. County Judge Kevin Smith, County Treasurer Sheri Mixon, Sheriff Bryan McJunkins, Circuit Clerk Angie Lewis, and County Attorney Aaron Brasel were also in attendance.
