Watts lawsuit settled; fiscal court questions Wickland repair costs

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Salt River Road resident Don Thrasher shows Nelson Fiscal Court his proposal that would allow first-responders to locate addresses if the former sections of Louisville Road were all named “Old Louisville Road.”

Tuesday, Dec. 19, 2017 — Nelson County Judge Executive Dean Watts announced at Tuesday’s fiscal court meeting that he and High Grove area resident Don Thrasher have reached a settlement regarding Thrasher’s lawsuit against Watts in regard to the naming of Thrasher’s section of the former Louisville Road that remains under state maintenance.

Watts said he, Thrasher and County Attorney Matthew Hite recently agreed to consult with the Kentucky Attorney General on the question of the judge executive’s authority to rename state-maintained roads.

Thrasher spoke briefly to the magistrates during Tuesday’s court meeting and praised Hite for his work that led to their agreement.

The three men agreed to work together on the request, and to abide by the attorney general’s decision on the matter.

ROAD NAME PETITION. Thrasher also presented the court with a petition with signatures from what he said was a majority of property owners seeking to have Kimberly Creek Road and Salt River Roads renamed.

The petition claims that Watts “failed to exhibit Democratic values by failing to notify anyone living on Louisville Road about having to change the road name” and that he misled Nelson Fiscal Court and county residents by falsely claiming the road names had to meet )the National Emergency Number Association (NENA standards or the county risked losing its 911 funding.

Watts did not address the petition and said he would wait for the state attorney general’s decision.

Magistrate Keith Metcalfe gestures while questioning the potential costs the county could pay to repair the small home damaged by fire earlier this year on the county-owned Wickland estate.

SHERIFF APPOINTMENT. In the wake of the announcement that Nelson County Sheriff Ed Mattingly is retiring Jan. 1st, Watts told the court he has been reviewing possible candidates to appoint to serve as interim sheriff.

Watts said he is unlikely to appoint one of the three candidates who have filed to run for the office so far out of respect for the election process.

Citing possible changes in the state pension programs, Mattingly announced his plans Monday to retire Jan. 1st as county sheriff.

Watts said he’ll make an appointment within the next week to 10 days.

WICKLAND UPDATE. Solid Waste Coordinator John Greenwell and County Engineer Brad Spalding told the court that Bill Brown Construction had been selected to provide the professional services to rebuild the fire-damaged smaller home at the Wickland estate.

The home suffered heavy damage in a fire in July 2017.

Magistrates Keith Metcalfe and Sam Hutchins questioned what the cost will be to rebuild the damaged home.

No firm estates have been completed, Greenwell explained. The construction company will do the work on a time and materials basis, not to exceed a set amount, Watts explained.

The addition on the rear of the home was mostly destroyed in the blaze, and it will not be completely rebuild, Greenwell said. A smaller two-story addition will likely go back to serve as a site for bathrooms and a larger stairway to the second floor of the original home.

After additional discussion about the amount of money the project may require, Watts asked Greenwell to put together a more detailed report on the repair options and their potential costs.

In other business, the court:

— voted to send the county’s grade-all out to have its boom rebuilt. The machine will be taken to Nashville for the repairs.

— approved a contract with Complete Primary Care LLC to provide medical care to inmates at the Nelson County Jail.

— amend a 2015 industrial review bond to allow Jim Beam Brands to add property on which it will build an additional warehouse.

— reappointed Doug Cornett and Charles Howard to the Joint City-County Planning Commission.

— reappointed John Cissell to the Nelson County Board of Adjustments.

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