Fiscal Court OKs $700k compactor bid, sets tax rate meeting dates
By SYLVIA HORLANDER
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
Tuesday, Aug. 1, 2017 — Nelson Fiscal Court has approved the dates this month for two special meetings to set the county property tax rate.
JUDGE EXECUTIVE DEAN WATTS
Judge Executive Dean Watts has proposed leaving the rate unchanged at 14.3 cents per $100 of assessed value on real estate.
Due to the growth in the value of assessed property in the county, leaving the tax rate the same will generate more revenue than last year. This will require a public hearing prior to setting the new tax rate. The total assessed value of property in the county is $2.7 billion, according to county treasurer Rhonda Fenwick.
Nelson County has left its tax rate the same for several years in a row.
The tax rate public hearing is 9 a.m. Tuesday, Aug. 8, 2017. Fiscal court will vote on first reading of the proposed tax rate at that meeting. Final approval with take place at a second special meeting at 9 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 24, 2017.
Both meetings will take place in the fiscal court meeting room on the second floor of the old courthouse.
LANDFILL COMPACTOR. Nelson Fiscal Court reviewed two bids for landfill compactors at its meeting Tuesday, and in the end chose the more expensive bid.
The court approved the bid of $703,957 to purchase of a 2017 Caterpillar 826K compactor after a discussion of the compactor’s benefits and a comparison with a competing lower bid of $682,249 for a 2017 Tana E380 compactor. The court based its decision on delivery time, availability of parts and service, and its resale value.
The loss of a landfill compactor due to a fire forced the county to purchase a replacement. At previous fiscal court meetings, county engineer Brad Spalding and solid waste coordinator John Greenwell discussed with the magistrates the pros and cons of buying a new compactor versus a used one.
WICKLAND FIRE. Nelson County Judge Executive Dean Watts told the court that insurance investigators will evaluate what can be salvaged at the fire-damaged home adjacent to the Wickland mansion.
The oldest part of the home was built about the same time as the mansion, with later rooms added on. The fire was determined to be have been intentionally set. .
Also at Wickland, contractors are currently working on a tuck pointing project, which involves repair deteriorated or missing mortar from the home’s bricks. The magistrates approved a payment of $14,532 which covers the work completed to date.
DISTRICT 2 PAVING. The court approved Magistrate Sam Hutchins’ 2017-2018 paving estimates. Mago Construction will overlay a portion of Ed Pile Road from Bryan Road to Ryan Court. It could be as late as summer of 2018 before the project starts. The total estimate is expected to cost $24,775.
SAMUELS HALL RENOVATION. The court approved advertising for bids for a project to improve the interior and exterior of Samuels Hall at the Nelson County Fairgrounds.
John Greenwell, the county’s solid waste coordinator, told the court the outside metal will be painted and a new wood canopy will go outside of the building. Inside, the bathrooms will be renovated, the heating and air conditioning units will be replaced, and the interior ceiling will be painted.
ART GALLERY LEASE. The court approved a motion to continue its lease with the Bardstown Fine Arts Society for their art gallery. The gallery is located in the former site of the Nelson County Public Library. The group will continue to pay $500 monthly on its lease.
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