Murphy tenders resignation

November 24, 2005

HUNTSVILLE — Dwight Murphy formally resigned the post of county mayor here Monday night near the end of the regular monthly meeting of county commission.

Saying he would be back to chair the meeting in December, Murphy presented his letter of resignation, effective at midnight on January 1, 2006.

He then turned the podium over to Chairman Pro Tem Mike Slaven and left the meeting room.

The commissioners voted unanimously to accept Murphy’s resignation, and voted to advertise for applicants to serve out the remaining nine months of Murphy’s term.

But before that can happen, according to County Attorney John Beaty, County Clerk Pat Phillips must draft a letter to the commissioners formally declaring a vacancy in that office, which should be done within the next few days.

In other business Monday night, the commission approved the issuance of two capital outlay notes — one for $278,777 for the county school board’s obligation toward the purchase of fixtures and furnishings for the new Winfield Elementary School (to be retired from state B.E.P. funds), and another for $125,000 to provide the local matching share of funds necessary for the construction of a new terminal building and T-hangars at the Scott County Airport.

Mayor Murphy informed the committee that he has made an application for a $500,000 Appalachian Regional Commission grant, which would be used to turn the old Winfield School facility into an Appalachian Craft Center to preserve the local heritage. Murphy said that official from the state would be here this week to look at the building.

In other business, the commission:

• Adopted a resolution honoring Scott County’s Cheryl Boyatt, who has recently been elected as the state president of the VFW Ladies Auxiliary, a 7,927-member organization. Boyatt, a 33-year employee of First National Bank of Oneida, along with members of her family, appeared before the commission Monday night;

• Recognized Scott County Ambulance Service EMT Freddie Wilson, a 34-year employee of the service, who was recently chosen as the Region II EMT of the Year;

• Approved the purchase of a new van-type ambulance from Peach State at last year’s bid price of $69,471;

• Authorized the chairmen of the commission’s Building & Grounds and Budget committees, along with Chairman Pro Tem Mike Slaven to negotiate with prospects to lease the former Industrial Development/Chamber of Commerce Building in Oneida; gave County Attorney Beaty the authority to draw up the lease agreement and Mayor Murphy the authority to sign it;

• Appointed a special committee to move a railroad caboose from the Huntsville City Hall to the Musuem of Scott County on the Scott High campus;

• Voted to allow Johnny and Dorothy King to proceed with plans to obtain a state permit to establish a tire recycling center on their property in the Bear Creek section of Oneida;

• Approved the designation of two parking spaces near the courthouse for use by judges of the Sessions, Criminal, Sessions and Chancery courts;

• Voted to allow the Rural 3 Area Veterinarian Services to conduct a free dog and cat spaying and neutering clinic in Scott County Jan. 28 and 29;

• Voted to extend Tennier Industries’ lease of the gym at the old Capital Hill School complex for five years at a cost of $300 per month;

• Awarded a low bid to B&B Roofing & Metals for repair of the Scott County Ambulance Service Garage;

• Approved the appropriation of approximately $1,900 for the installation of a camera monitoring system at the county fuel depot, which may also monitor both the county garage and recycling center nearby;

• Awarded a $1,450 annual contract to QE2 for monitoring well analysis services for the old county landfill site;

• Approved a $1,500 donation to the Unicorn Fund for providing Christmas gifts to needy Scott County children;

• Voted to provide turkeys at Christmas to the volunteers working in the meals on wheels and cancer van transportation programs operated by Scott County government; and,

• Voted to hold the December meeting of the commission on Dec. 12, one week earlier than normal.

newsroom@ihoneida.com

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