The Hardin County Fiscal Court heard several department updates during their meeting Tuesday.
County Attorney Jenny Oldham provided statistics on her office’s activities in 2023, which included work in criminal, civil, and family court cases. The office handled more than 2,000 misdemeanor cases and more than 1,300 felony cases, and helped collect more than $9.2 million in child support. Oldham said a 44 percent decrease in child abuse cases has been seen since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, but that number is not what it seems.
“What we think we’re seeing is 44 percent fewer cases that we’re involved in because there’s not staff, staffing for social workers is down,” Oldham said. “A big part of that is because our teachers and our school personnel are the people who make the reports, and kids were not in school and teachers were not seeing these.”
County 911 Director Mike Leo said 911 answered more than 4,200 calls in December, and more than 55,000 calls over 2023. County EMS Director Mark Peterson said the department made 1,734 runs in December, bringing their total runs during the fiscal year to date to more than 9,800. Peterson said he is proud of the efforts of his staff to help meet a goal by Judge-Executive Keith Taul for the department to reduce expenses by $200,000.
“Our supply budget overall is down about $87,000 from this time last year, and we’ve reduced our costs-per-run from $25 a run to $14 a run,” Peterson said.
Taul issued a proclamation declaring January 23 as Sophia Todd Day in recognition of Miss Kentucky’s Teen’s fourth runner-up finish and talent preliminary win in the Miss America’s Teen pageant. Todd thanked her family and community for their support, and said she is proud the pageant has allowed her to leave a legacy for her hometown.
“My mission is to promote art therapy so that it is available in all schools the way that speech therapy is now,” Todd said. “Art can combat depression and anxiety as well as improve heart health in those who cannot physically get fit.”
The Hardin County Fiscal Court will next meet February 13, but the fiscal court’s next town hall forum will be held at 5:30 p.m. on January 30 in the fiscal courtroom. The open house presenting the county’s new comprehensive plan will also be held on the 30th at the county building beginning at 4:30 p.m.
