From the Desk of Lawrence County Executive David Morgan – Thankful for Help in Times of Need

Thankful for help in times of need

I hope you all had a wonderful Christmas and did not suffer too much in the extreme cold. The weather reminded me how thankful I am to live in the South, where winter temperatures in the single digits are the exception, not the rule.

We can also be grateful for Lawrenceburg Utility Systems (LUS) employees who faced the elements to restore electric and water services throughout the holiday weekend.  

Temperatures plummeted Friday night, and strong winds created an unbelievable -12 degree wind chill. Tree limbs fell, knocking out power in several areas of the county. Water mains froze and broke, causing outages for many others.

Thank goodness LUS linemen, water, sewer, and gas crews are trained for emergencies and can work in terrible weather, even if it comes on Christmas Day. But the truth is, I don’t think much about their skills when my electricity and water are working.

The same is true for my family’s health. When everything is fine, I don’t think about Emergency Medical Service professionals who are ready to respond if something goes terribly wrong.

That’s why I am so grateful that the Lawrence County Commission approved the proposed $4-per-hour raise for EMS employees. Counties around us offer better pay and work schedules, and we had open positions that couldn’t be filled. It’s a competitive market and to maintain the service Lawrence Countians need, we have to be competitive.

Please remember the Commission also approved a new rate schedule that puts us on track to collect more than enough to cover these employee raises. Some of our EMS rates for specialized care were well below the standard reimbursement that insurance and Medicare is willing to pay. The Commission vote rectified that.

I don’t know how much linemen and other LUS employees make, but I hope they’re well-compensated. If I had lost power or water last week, I would have been willing to pay a lot to get them turned back on. If one of my loved ones needs emergency medical care, the service that can save them is priceless.

David Morgan