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The Harlan County Fiscal Court accepted a check for excess fees from the Harlan County Clerk’s Office and discussed changing landfill regulations during the recent Harlan County Fiscal Court meeting for February.

Harlan County Judge-Executive Dan Mosley asked Harlan County Clerk Ashley Sullivan to address the court concerning the excess fees payment in the amount of $45,000.

“In my office we start with zero and we don’t know what’s going to come in or go out within a given year,” Sullivan said. “I’m very happy to turn over that much, I hope that next year – or this current year – is just as much.”

Sullivan explained that the County Clerk’s Office always keeps close track of expenditures.

“We always account for the taxpayer’s dollars and try to spend wisely,” Sullivan said. “My clerks have done an excellent job, and we have been very blessed in getting some grants to help fund a lot of the projects we have going on.”

Sullivan explained the grants have been a factor in the excess funds turned over to the county.

“All that factors into it,” Sullivan said. “I want to thank you all.”

Magistrate Paul Browning mentioned a way to increase funds at the County Clerk’s Office.

“If you buy your car outside of Harlan County, tell that dealership to do the paperwork, tags and transfers in Harlan County,” Browning said.

A motion to accept the Harlan County Clerk’s excess fees check in the amount of $45,000 was made by Browning. Magistrate Bill Moore seconded the motion, which passed with no opposition.

The court also discussed new regulations impacting landfills.

“This is an exciting possibility,” Mosley said. “Before, we were always restricted on the ability to expand the CD&D landfill due to the acreage restrictions.”

Mosley explained previous acreage regulations would not allow use of additional space at an existing landfill.

“I was trying to explain it to someone in Frankfort a few months back,” Mosley said. “In a flatland, I understand why you don’t want to just keep junking up flatland all down one stretch…but in the mountains, we’ve got these hollows where we already have a landfill established and we have additional space we could use, why would we want to go and junk up another hollow when we have additional space to use in the one we’re already using? It doesn’t make good sense.”

Mosley said regulations have been amended allowing the county to apply for additional permitting for the existing landfills, which could extend the life of the current landfill by as much as 20 years.

“It’s really good news to be able to do that,” Mosley said.

Magistrate Paul Caldwell made a motion to amend the CD&D Landfill Permit with the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet, seconded by Magistrate Jim Roddy. The motion was approved unanimously.