HAZARD – The Perry County Fiscal Court approved a 5 percent pay raise for county employees during its regular meeting last week.

Perry County Judge Executive Denny Ray Noble noted that the state recommended a 1.5 percent pay increase, but on a motion made by Magistrate Earl Brashear the court considered a higher wage increase instead.

“I want to make a motion that we give everybody 5 percent,” said Brashear.

Brashear’s motion was seconded by Magistrate Bubby Combs, and it was a motion that Noble agreed with.

“I recommend that we give our people 5 percent,” said Noble. “I think we can afford it.”

The court voted to unanimously approve the increase.

In other business, the court discussed the potential donation of property at Cornettsville, some of which is annually used for the Battle of Leatherwood reenactment.

Judge Noble explained that the property’s owner, Dr. Marion Miniard, wanted to donate that property to the county on the condition that if the county makes a decision to no longer maintain it, it’s ownership would come back to the original landowner.

County Attorney John Carl Shackelford informed the court as to Dr. Miniard’s wishes for the property, that it only be used as a park for the people of the community and not be sold in whole or in part for any other purposes.

“The county could not sell it for any reason,” Shackelford said.

“I recommend we do it,” said Noble. “We don’t have that much in the south end (of the county). We continue putting money to that.”

Approximately $30,000 in adventure tourism funds are ready to be spent on that property to install restrooms, noted Tourism Coordinator John Epperson, that can be used during the annual reenactment. Epperson said all of the paperwork and permits through the Division of Water are currently in place for the project.

“That should start probably within the next three weeks, I would say, if the weather stays nice,” said Epperson, adding that the restroom facilities won’t be constructed until the property is deeded to the county, which he said should be soon.

Following a motion by Earl Brashear to accept the property, the court unanimously approved the measure.

The court also heard an update from the Chief Deputy Tony Eversole with the Perry County Sheriff’s Office on the activities reported during the recent power outage and inclement weather in December of last year and the water shortage issue last month.

Eversole reported that the sheriff’s office delivered 18,096 gallons of donated water and provided 224 hours of security service for Kentucky Power trucks at Perry County Central High School in December. The company used the high school’s parking lot as a staging area during operations to restore power following the December 19 snow storm.

Other activities of the sheriff’s office included responding to 380 calls for 911 service in December and 329 calls in January. Deputies also gave 79 rides to residents for medical assistance during the snow storm.