911 RIP OFF

The 911 issue involving the City of Corbin providing 911 services to the citizens within the City of Corbin, Kentucky, citizens outside the city limits in Whitley County, Knox County, and Laurel County continues to be ignored and white washed by the Corbin City Commission and Mayor.

The City of Corbin taxpayers pay for the 911 service that the City of Corbin provides and also pay $2.00 per land line telephone per month as a 911 tax to the Whitley Fiscal Court.

Pursuant to the documents provided by the City of Corbin, the Corbin City government should be receiving .95 cents per phone per month for the 911 service provided.

The City of Corbin does not receive the 911 fees. It goes to Whitley County. The taxpayers of Corbin pay for the 911 service and then pay for the Whitley County 911 service, a double tax.

The Corbin City Commission attempted to cover up this failure of fiscal management by stating at a meeting of the Commission that Whitley County had provided “in kind service” being maintenance and equipment in lieu of the .95 cent per phone per month to the city.

After that newspaper article, the following letter was sent to the appropriate City of Corbin officials on September 21, 2006.

Hon. Amos Miller, Mayor City of Corbin 805 S. Main Street Corbin, KY 40701

Mr. Erin Blount City Clerk City Hall Building 805 S. Main Street Corbin, KY 40701

Mayor Miller and Mr. Blount:

Pursuant to the Kentucky Open Records law, I hereby request an itemization of all funds, equipment, services, or maintenance received by the City of Corbin, Kentucky from the 911 funds of the Whitley County Fiscal Court for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003 and 2002.

Thank you for your cooperation.

Very truly yours,

s/ David O. Smith

On September 25, 2006, the City responded:

City of Corbin

September 25, 2006

Honorable David O. Smith P.O. Box 699 Corbin, KY 40702

Re: Kentucky Open Records Request

Dear Mr. Smith:

Please consider this letter in response to your letter dated September 21, 2006, which was received September 22, 2006, wherein you requested records being “an itemization of all funds, equipment, services, or maintenance received by the City of Corbin, Kentucky, from the 911 funds of the Laurel County Fiscal Court for the fiscal year ending July 31, 2006, 2005, 2004, 2003 and 2002.” Your requests also include the same records for the same periods for Whitley County Fiscal Court and Knox County Fiscal Court.

Please be advised that the requested records do not exist and therefore cannot be inspected. However, you can view any records related to your request at City Hall, 805 South Main Street, Corbin KY 40701, Monday through Friday, from 8:00 a.m. until 4:00 p.m.

Please call ahead and let me know the date that you plan to inspect these records.

Sincerely,

CITY OF CORBIN

/s/ Erin Blount City Clerk

If there are no records how can the City state they received equipment and services in lieu of the fee?

Isn’t the City charged with keeping an accurate inventory of its equipment and maintaining records of maintenance of equipment?

This is a white wash and a delay tactic for their failure to obtain the funds due from the surrounding counties and/or to have the telephone company pay them the fee for every telephone that is 911 routed to the Corbin Dispatch Center.

Why will the City of Corbin officials or at least the Whitley County Fiscal Court not take the necessary corrective action on this issue?