Fiscal court agrees to distillery tax agreements, OKs Wickland easement

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Magistrate Sam Hutchins makes notes during Tuesday’s meeting of Nelson Fiscal Court.

Tuesday, Nov. 18, 2014, 9:30 p.m. — Nelson Fiscal Court approved an agreement Tuesday with Heaven Hill Distilleries to pay an annual cash payment in lieu of state and local property taxes on the company’s new bourbon warehouses.

The PILOT (payment-in-lieu of taxes) agreement means the distiller will make an annual payment to the county based on the value of the distilled spirits stored in the warehouses. The agreement also authorizes the county to issue up to $50 million in 30-year industrial building and revenue bonds to pay for the project.

Fiscal court also approved an inducement agreement with the new Bardstown Bourbon Company that will result in the sale up to $85.8 million in revenue bonds, and the same sort of payment-in-lieu of taxes agreement as the court OK’d with Heaven Hill.

Bardstown Bourbon Co. President and CEO Dave Mandell and Garnett Black, vice-president of operations, attended the meeting.

WICKLAND UTILITY EASEMENT. Fiscal court in a 4-1 vote a request from the City of Bardstown for a utility easement that will pass along the western side of the county-owned Wickland property on Bloomfield Road.

The utility easement is needed to replace an aging sewer line with a larger one. The route will partly follow an access road at the rear of the property and will disturb few trees, City Engineer Jessica Filiatreau told the court.

Marion County Judge Executive John Mattingly talks to Fiscal Court about a plan to help the local American Red Cross chapter replace its vehicle.

Sam Hutchins, magistrate of the county’s 2nd District, voted against approval of the request.

AMERICAN RED CROSS. The court heard a request from Marion County Judge Executive John G. Mattingly to participate in a three-county agreement to help the American Red Cross fund the replacement of the executive director’s vehicle.

The Honorable Order of the Kentucky Colonels have provided a $15,000 grant to the American Red Cross to help fund the purchase of a replacement SUV. Mattingly asked the court to consider a funding arrangement to have the three counties — Washington, Marion and Nelson — to kick-in to make the needed $15,000 match for the grant. Each county’s government will contribute funding based on each county’s population. Nelson County’s share will be about $8,400.

Fiscal court approved the deal in a 4-1 vote with Magistrate Jeff Lear voting no.

HOLIDAY GARBAGE COLLECTION. Landfill Manager Brad Spalding told fiscal court there will be no garbage pickup in the county on Thanksgiving Day, Nov. 27. Garbage collection will take place on Friday, Nov. 28 and Saturday, Nov. 29.

In other business, fiscal court:

— heard that the Feeding America food distribution is next Wednesday Nov. 26;

— approved a bond resolution required by the Administrative Office of the Courts stating that as a bond issuer, the county will take necessary action to protect bondholders;

— approved the bond amounts for county public officials;

— approved a bid for cold-mix asphalt from Mago Construction.

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