Fiscal court’s spending prompts cautionary warning from one magistrate

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette/ WBRT Radio

Magistrate Jerry Hahn looks at documents during Tuesday’s Nelson Fiscal Court meeting. Hahn cautioned the court about its equipment and vehicle purchases after voting to approve several needed vehicles.

Tuesday, July 7, 2015, 11:25 a.m. — Nelson Fiscal Court today agreed to push forward with the purchase of three $28,000 SUVs, a $138,000 four-wheel-drive ambulance, a new piece of heavy machinery for the Nelson County Landfill, and the purchase of a $30,000 replacement engine for a truck used to transport large dumpsters.

The magistrates approved the purchases, most of which were budgeted, though the expenditures prompted Magistrate Jerry Hahn to warn the court about spending heavily this early in the fiscal year.

“I think we need to slow down our spending,” Hahn said, adding that the expenditures could impact the county’s ability to make purchases later in the fiscal year.

The court also agreed to solicit bids to put a new roof on the former Pic n Pay building, which will be the new main station for the Bardstown-Nelson County Volunteer Fire Department.

Magistrate Bernard Ice listens during County Engineer Jim Lemieux’s report at Tuesday’s Nelson Fiscal Court meeting.

Judge Executive Dean Watts told Hahn that most of the purchases were planned, and that they were in the budget for the new fiscal year. The replacement motor and roof work for the new fire station was not, however.

“These types of things come up and you have to deal with them,” Watts said. “The new roof on the building for the fire department protects the county’s investment in that building.”

Joe Prewitt, director of Nelson County EMS, told the court that its sole four-wheel-drive ambulance is a 2003 model and is a reserve ambulance that is used only when necessary due to its age. The court approved the purchase of a demonstrator ambulance built on a 2015 Ford F-350 chassis for $138,207.

COUNTY EMPLOYEE HEALTH INSURANCE. The magistrates also approved the county’s health insurance and dental insurance plans for the coming year.

The county will stay with Bluegrass Family Health as its provider, and Watts noted the county will absorb the 9.6 percent rate increase for employees over last year’s insurance rates. County employee rates for dental insurance go up approximately $2.40 per month he said.

In other business, the court —

— approved appointing Mike Ballard to the Nelson County Board of Adjustments.

— approved a request by Watts to advertise for bids for painting the Sutherland Building.

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