As of late Monday night, fewer than 30 homes and businesses were without power along the Pennyrile Electric grid — thousands of citizens celebrating the return of energy following the Memorial Day weekend storms.
This included the Trigg County Fiscal Court, its magistrates and its Judge-Executive Stan Humphries, which used their typical meeting time to laud the labors of linemen and women who brought back the lights, after some experienced a handful of days in darkness — frozen and refrigerated foods thawing along the way.
Humphries confirmed that FEMA officials spent time with Trigg County Emergency Management Director David Bryant Monday morning, revealing some startling results.
Furthermore, Humphries added that one of Trigg County Sheriff’s deputies — Princeton’s Kenny Vincent — was on duty near Cadiz that weekend, when his wife and kids went to a neighbor’s house and escaped the path of the EF3 tornado that originated in Eddyville and dissipated near Mortons Gap.
The family, however, returned to “a slab,” and according to Humphries and County Treasurer Lucy Oliver Kyler, efforts are already underway to assist the family.
For the foreseeable future, the rear of the Trigg County Road Department will remain a drop-off location from 8 AM until 6 PM Monday through Saturday — which Humphries said would become a burn pile in the future.
Per Road Supervisor Brandon Calhoun, construction damage like siding, wood decks, shingles and the like can still be returned to the recycling center dumpster for the proper fees paid on special dumping. It’s the back pile, he and Humphries said, that FEMA requires be organic refuse.
Concerned Citizen Jim Mullen offered his thoughts:
In other court news:
— Magistrate Jeff Broadbent confirmed that, following a myriad of factors, Trigg County will be accepting the “chip & seal bids” for the 2024-25 fiscal year. However, the Transportation Committee is going to continually review, among many facets, what it would cost to bring these efforts under the roof of the local road department.
This, Humphries followed, will require the gauging of time, needed equipment and the overdue mileage that needs to be repaired faster than state appropriations and the gasoline tax can afford.
Magistrate Mike Lane agreed.
Humphries said that of Trigg County’s 400-plus miles of county roads, only five miles made it in last year’s plan — and even some of that went unfinished, while bridge projects on Stone and Ed Mitchell roads in the northeastern portion also take priority.
— Magistrates unanimously approved for Humphries to file a Government Resources Accelerating Needed Transformation 2024 Program application, allowing the body to seek up to $1,000,000 in funds through the Cabinet for Economic Development. If awarded this summer, the monies would be used to inject capital into a new Trigg County Rescue building, which Humphries said continues to gain more scope and function following discussions with interested architectural firms.
