Section 202 Program Manager Mike Lee made an Army Corps of Engineers presentation during a Harlan County Fiscal Court meeting on Tuesday. Lee said the state of Kentucky could only give approximately $131,000 to go toward a flood prevention project in Cumberland, estimated to cost a total of $221,528.

The cost-share agreement of a channel-widening project set to take place at Looney Creek in Cumberland draws money from federal funding for the fiscal year of 2019 – a pot holding $4 million to $5 million. As part of the agreement, 95 percent of the funds needed for the project would be federal and the other 5 percent would fall to non-federal entities.

The non-federal half of the agreement for the channel-widening project at Looney Creek would cost the city of Cumberland just over $11 thousand. The Commonwealth of Kentucky, however, said they only have a little over $131,000 to go toward the project, out of the $210,452 needed for their share.

“We’d be paying Cumberland’s share and a portion of the state’s,” Harlan County Judge-Executive Dan Mosley explained to the court.

The estimated $89,000 needed for the project was a matter of discussion, with Mosley stating he’d like the mayor’s input on the situation before making a decision.

“The state made clear to me that they want to move forward regardless of what we decide today,” Mosley said.

Mosley recommended the court table the matter until the next fiscal court meeting, which is scheduled of Oct. 15, to allow time to sit down and thoroughly discuss the matter. Following further discussion the item was tabled until the next meeting.

The fiscal court also motioned to:

• approve minutes from the Aug. 15 special-called meeting;

• approve the treasurer’s monthly financial report, including payment of bills/add-ons, budget transfers, inter-fund transfers and cash transfers;

• grant permission to enter into rental agreement with Jason Snelling for a mobile home residency at Stone Mountain Boat Dock, authorizing the judge-executive to sign any and all documents;

• grant permission on surplus weapons from the sheriff’s department and trade-ins and purchase new firearms and accessories, authorizing the judge-executive to sign any and all documents;

• grant permission to advertise for dump trucks to be used by the road department;

• approve resolution for the financing of dump trucks with KACo, authorizing the judge-executive to sign any and all documents;

• accept the Harlan County Sheriff’s Office official receipts for 2019 property tax bills;

• approve payment to the county clerk for the printing of 2019 tax bills;

• reflect the 2019 property and tangible rates for taxing districts;

• approve report of the audit of the Harlan County Clerk, for the year ending on Dec. 31, 2018;

• approve a resolution relating to Harlan County Fiscal Court CDBG, Cumberland Hope Recovery Project, grant #18-052, authorizing the judge-executive to sign any and all documents;

• approve administration agreement between Harlan County Fiscal Court and Cumberland Valley ADD relating to Cumberland Hope Community, grant #18-052, authorizing the judge-executive to sign any and all documents;

• approve resolution establishing a procurement policy for Kentucky CDBG Program relating to Cumberland Hope Community, authorizing the judge-executive to sign any and all documents;

• approve legal binding agreement between the Harlan County Fiscal Court and Cumberland River Behavioral Health, Inc., relating to the Cumberland Hope Community, authorizing the judge-executive to sign any and all documents;

• reflect declaration of emergency regarding the Harlan County Justice Center on Aug. 12;

• appoint Allen Layne to the Sleepy Hollow Golf Course to fill the unexpired term of Jim Vicini, whose term expires Jan. 14, 2023;

• reappoint Mike Thomas to the Cawood Water District Board, retroactive to Sept. 15 (four-year term);

• set Halloween trick or treat hours for the county from 5 until 7 p.m.