Set 2011 organizational meeting for Jan. 10

It won’t be until after the New Year before the Lawrence County Commissioners determine what interest rate will be put on the revenue anticipation notes to be issued to cover start-up costs of the Lawrence County Emergency Medical Services.

At its meeting last week the commissioners approved notes up to $600,000 that may be used to cover payroll and other expenses before the EMS begins billing patients.

At Tuesday’s meeting commissioners also approved setting up an account for the EMS and Verizon for a total of 11 aircard lines of billing.

This was the last meeting for Commissioner Doug Malone who lost his third bid for a place on commission. Malone, a Democrat, was defeated by Paul Herrell, a Republican, in the November general election.

Herrell, a former one-term commissioner, was defeated by Malone in 2002.

Fellow commissioners praised Malone for his work over the past eight years.

“He has always been very professional,” Commissioner Les Boggs said. “He has been good to work with.”

Commissioner Jason Stephens worked with Malone during both his two terms.

“He is a true gentlemen and I appreciate working with him,” Stephens said. “I have a lot of respect for Doug. He worked hard and has done what he thought was right.”

Malone called his time on commission a privilege.

“It has been an honor to work for the people,” he said. “We worked with the officeholders and they worked with us. It has been an honor to serve the people. Now I am going in a different direction.”

In other action the commissioners:

• Received and filed the Lawrence County Grand Jury report of December.

• Received and filed the dog warden report where 29 dogs were destroyed, six were sold and three were redeemed.

The commissioners met two days earlier because of the Christmas holiday.

They will meet for their first meeting of 2011 on Jan. 6 with their organizational meeting set for Jan. 10.