At a McCracken County Fiscal Court meeting held Thursday, May 31st, 2018, County Attorney Sam Clymer reviewed that a strict application of the law would void all salary increases to McCracken County Coroner, Dan Sims since 1995.
This was news he had reported previously at a meeting held Thursday, May 18th.
Now, Clymer further reported that, based on his research, because of the principle of “equitable estoppel”, which would prevent someone, in this case the county government, from taking an action when the government knew or should have known that the action taken was not correct. “These principles of equity are designed to ensure that the strict application of the law is in compliance with the principles of fundamental fairness, ” he said. “In other words – despite what the law may say – the circumstances may be such that strict application is not in the interest of justice.”
For this reason, Clymer recommended the McCracken County Coroner salary should remain intact and unreduced for current McCracken County Coroner, Dan Sims, and for whomever assumes the office in January 2019 (presumably Amanda Melton).
About a dozen people who attended the meeting to support maintaining the salary applauded the announcement.
The Fiscal Court then unanimously voted to set the salary for the incoming coroner at the current level.
“I had always hope that a fair and legal remedy could be reached,” said Amanda Melton. “I think that did happen. I’m looking forward to us all getting back on track.”