County Commission honors farmers

An art event, geared toward those with developmental disabilities is set for Thursday on the Ironton riverfront.

Amanda Cleary, with nonprofit Third and Center, shared details with the Lawrence County Commission at their meeting this week.

Cleary said the event will take place from 11 a.m.–1 p.m. and lunch will be provided to students, who will work to paint a mural on a section of the floodwall and take part in additional outdoor art activities.

“It will be a fun and fully accessible art experience,” she said.

The event, hosted by Third and Center, is being coordinated by Chelsea Potter, of Bluegrass Mama Creation in Russell, Kentucky, and the students will be working on a portion of the wall that has been primed, which previously was covered in graffiti.

Cleary said once the mural is completed, it will contain a scannable code, which will link to websites for resources for DD groups.

In addition to Thursday’s event, Cleary said Third and Center is also planning a Trash Bash cleanup event around the city for April 22, which will take place from 10 a.m.-1 p.m., followed by a community cookout.

Cleary said the event is set for Earth Day, but they hope to inspire participants to beautify the community year round.

“I love what you are doing in Ironton,” commissioner DeAnna Holliday said of Third and Center’s projects. “It has been needed for so long.”

Holliday also said the group should partner with the commission’s Project First Impression for the clean up event.

Cleary thanked Holliday for also donating as a sponsor to Third and Center. By the end of the meeting, Lawrence County Clerk of Courts Mike Patterson, who was in attendance, also announced he would like to sponsor the group’s efforts.

Tuesday’s meeting of the commission opened with commission president Colton Copley reading a proclamation from the commissioners declaring March 19-25 as National Agriculture Week.

Members of the Lawrence County Farm Bureau were on hand to accept the proclamation.

“American agriculture is the foundation of our country and it is the backbone of a healthy and prosperous nation,” Copley read from the proclamation, noting that the demand for food and fiber products produced in the United States is higher than ever.

“We call upon citizens to acknowledge and celebrate achievements of farmers.”

Members of the Farm Bureau provided the commissioners with gift baskets of agriculture products for the meeting.

“I think the Farm Bureau is great for our community,” Copley said.

“I have always said, ‘What would we do without our farmers?’” Holliday said.

Commissioner Mike Finley spoke of efforts to create more farmers markets across the county, stating that Lawrence County Economic Development Corporation president Bill Dingus and Ralph Kline, of the Lawrence County CAO are seeking to create one in Burlington.

“That will give you more avenues for your products, to be able to sell them,” Finley said.

In other business, the commission:

• Approved the minutes of the meeting held on March 6, as corrected.

• Approved the following Floodplain Permits submitted by the Soil and Water Conservation District: Renewal: 2023-737 Union Township Trustees-Materials storage project located at 66 County Road 3; 2023-738 House of Prayer, Independent Pentecostal Churches of America-Filling and grading, culvert, non-residential repairs and porch and deck projects located at 33 County Road 4; 2023-739 Joseph Ketcham-Stream maintenance project located at 7728 County Road 37; and 2023-740 Alan Runyon-Stream maintenance project located at 232 Private Road 4180

• Received and filed the EMS Monthly Report for February 2023, submitted by Lori Morris, EMS Director of Finance. 

• Approved and signed an emergency opioid resolution to accept the material terms of the settlement with Allergan, CVS, TEVA, Walmart and Walgreens, as submitted by Lawrence County Prosecutor Brigham Anderson. 

• Approved and signed the Department of Youth Services care and custody grant amendment, submitted by Joyce Lynd and Lawrence County Juvenile-Probate Judge Patricia Sanders.  

• Approved and signed the OCEAN User Agreement for Jessica Keeton, Ironton-Lawrence County CAO assistant director of community development. 

• Wished a happy birthday to Phil Roush. Finley suggested that Copley sing “a cappella” for the occasion.

“Well, I don’t know if anybody wants that,” Copley replied.

• Met in executive session regarding contracts. 

• Met in executive session with Dylan Bentley regarding personnel, hire, fire and/or reprimand. 

• Met in executive session with members of the Coal Grove Village Council regarding real estate.