The first of several FEMA reimbursement checks is expected to arrive in the next few weeks, which totals $78,900.75.

Grayson County Emergency Management Director Randal Smith said April 21 that the money was for last month’s bill that was submitted for part-time help, overtime, equipment used and rental on a chipper. The relief efforts stemmed from January’s ice storm that devastated Kentucky.

Smith explained that as of right now FEMA was reimbursing 100 percent up to $1,275,000.

Five more reimbursement checks will be sent to the county for paperwork that was filed, requesting assistance from the state.

Smith commended Grayson County Judge-Executive Gary Logsdon for taking the initiative to testify in federal court on the damage done to county in January.

“The general public does not realize what the county judge did,” Smith mentioned. “The debris in itself costs over $2 million to pick up. There is no county budget that is going to withstand that. The judge testified and said we needed help. I commend the fiscal court greatly for helping out.”

Other items discussed during the fiscal court meeting:

• A resolution and contract was approved with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for $722,159 in Rural Municipal Aid money.

“The initial appointment to the county is 60 percent of its total allotment based on a revenue estimate,” explained Logsdon, “applied by the state budget director, less three percent set aside for emergency funds.”

Funding assistance begins on July 1, 2009.

• The county will open bids for the construction of a new bridge from White Oak Street in Leitchfield to Carroll Gibson Boulevard on April 27. The state department has allotted $96,000 for the project.

More details will be released after next week’s special-called fiscal court meeting.

• Fiscal court members approved the motion to advertise for local contractors to do various duties in the county.

The roof on the old Grayson County War Memorial Hospital in Leitchfield is in dire need of repair. Logsdon said severe winds earlier in the year caused the damages, and that the entire roof would need to be replaced.

A local contractor is also needed to repair the roof at the county jail.

The county will also be advertising for a local chipper service to help with debris cleanup.

• Only one bid was submitted for needed janitorial services at the new judicial center.

Jason Thomas with Servicemaster Clean submitted a bid for $3,747.84.

A formal approval of the bid will be made during Monday’s special-called fiscal court meeting.