Julia Roberts Goad

Staff Writer

PIKEVILLE, Ky. - Pike County Coroner Russell Roberts told the Pike County Fiscal Court he needs a vehicle, and the Court says they will act as quickly as possible to replace the vehicle.

Roberts told the Court he hit a deer while driving the coroner van about a mile away from his home. He said the insurance company has determined the van to be a total loss.

Roberts said with the old van, he sometimes had difficulty getting to the scene where he had to transport a body. He said he has had to use a chain to pull the van to the scene.

“I need something decent, something I can work from,” he said.

Roberts told the Court he needs an all-wheel-drive vehicle, but that he definitely needs a van with a ventilation system.

“I don’t think any of you would like to travel as far as from Belfry to Frankfort with a decayed body without some type of air, some ventilation system that would make it comfortable for the guy transporting the body”

The Court told Roberts they would look into the issue, including what the state may have available for purchase.

In other business, the Fiscal Court heard a proposal from Perfection Group, a business that designs and installs mechanical and environmental systems focusing on energy efficiency.

Perfection Group has conducted a detailed analysis of the some of the County’s buildings including the Hall of Justice, the Pike County Courthouse, the satellite courthouses in Phelps and Belfry and the Belfry Volunteer Fire Department and Belfry Road Department Building.

The facilities are old, and many of the systems such as lighting, heating and cooling and ventilation are antiquated, said Tony Apro, President of Perfection Group. He pointed out recent failures of the boiler system at the Hall of Justice and the cooling system in the Pike County Courthouse that were due to outdated equipment.

He explained that a detailed study began in February of this year showed Perfection could update the county’s facilities and the county would see over $84,000 in utility savings annually.

The company would upgrade systems and replace inefficient equipment to create a more cost efficient model.

Apro said that the savings to the PCFC are guaranteed.

“If we tell you that you will save $84,000, and you save less, we make up that savings,” Apros said. “If on the other hand, you save more, then you simply pocket the extra savings.”

He explained that the Court would pay for Perfection’s work in arrears, meaning the county would have a year from the completion of the work to pay Perfection.

Apros said the way the project financing was set up, it would be a “cost neutral” endeavor.Members of the Court discussed the proposal, and agreed to research the matter, including other avenues to replacing equipment and systems, and methods of financing the $700,000 project.