PINEVILLE — Bell County Judge Executive Albey Brock and members of the Fiscal Court honored a departing magistrate at the regular meeting held on Tuesday.

Bell County Magistrate Andy Williams was presented with a plaque by Judge Brock at the meeting, in recognition of his upcoming retirement. Brock thanked Williams for his many years of service to the Court.

Beth Hurst, a retiring employee of the deed office, was also honored by Judge Brock. Hurst will be leaving her position at the end of the year.

Budgets for the fee accounts for 2011 were approved for the Bell County Clerk and the Bell County Sheriff. Salary limits for deputies and assistants of both the clerk and sheriff were also approved.

The Court accepted checks from Sheriff Bennett in the amount of $551,213.43 and from the Bell County Clerk, Becky Blevins, for $14,738.25.

The treasurer’s financial statements for last month, and Sheriff Bruce Bennett’s claim sheet for the office’s fee account were also accepted.

Four roads were added to the Bell County road system at the meeting. Stewart Road and Joe Dell Road extension were admitted into the system in the 1st District, Dogwood Flat Road is now part of the 2nd District, and Becky Branch Left will be accepted into the 5th District.

A new deputy and EMT were added to the county workforce on Tuesday. The Court voted to hire Mike Cooper as a full-time Sheriff’s Deputy at $10.48 per hour, and to approve William Bucky Shelby for a position as a part-time EMT for $7.25 hourly.

Animal Shelter employee Donald Pace was changed from part-time to full-time, and full-time EMT Bruce Kinder switched to part-time, while part-time EMT Jerome Killion was hired on full-time.

A payment of $65,625.91 to Vaughn and Melton Consulting Engineers was approved by the Court for work on the Asher Industrial Park access road.

Motions were additionally passed to approve the minutes of the November meeting and to pay bills and make necessary transfers.

Magistrate Hubert Dozier Jr. was absent from the session; all other members were present.

The Bell County Fiscal Court meets every second Tuesday of the month at 9 a.m. at the Bell County Court House.

Lorie Settles is a staff writer for the Middlesboro Daily News. She may be contacted via e-mail at lsettles@heartlandpublications.com.