Nelson Fiscal Court reviews changes to county road construction standards
Magistrate Eric Shelburne, left, talks with David Evans, the GIS coordinator with the City of Bardstown, at the end of Tuesday’s Nelson Fiscal Court meeting.
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
Tuesday, Dec. 4, 2018 — Nelson Fiscal Court again discussed changes to the county road standards that could add more than $1,000 to the cost of a building lot in new county subdivisions.
County engineer Brad Spalding shows documents to the magistrates and Judge Executive Dean Watts during Tuesday’s Fiscal Court meeting.
The magistrates reviewed changes they suggested to the standards document at their last meeting. The changes call for an increase in the depth of dense grade rock and in the surface layer of asphalt, with the depth increases varying depending on the anticipated traffic the road will have on it.
The higher standards will give roads additional five or six years to the lifespan of new roads, which will reduce the burden on the county — and taxpayers — for the costs to maintain those roads.
After the meeting, Watts told WBRT that over the years, the amount of money generated by the gasoline tax has declined, and that directly impacts the amount of money the counties receive for road maintenance. If the county strengthens the road construction standards, the result will be longer-lasting roads requiring less frequent maintenance.
While the new standard will increase the price of a building lot in new subdivisions, several magistrates said they hadn’t heard much feedback from developers in favor or against the proposed change in the road construction standards.
After substantial discussion, the magistrates decided to delay a final vote until the next court meeting to further review the standards.
County Engineer Brad Spalding, left, and Magistrate Sam Hutchins examine a map prior to the start of Tuesday’s Nelson Fiscal Court meeting.
OLD COURTHOUSE RENOVATIONS. The north entrance of the Old Courthouse is closed Tuesday and possibly through Wednesday as crews take down part of the scaffolding on the front face of the courthouse.
Now that the south side of the courthouse roof has been replaced, the north side will next be replaced, weather permitting.
The rainy weather has meant several weeks of delay in the tuck pointing and roofing, he said.
COUNTY DRONE. An unusual purchase popped up in the county’s bills this month — the county purchased a new drone.
Lee Mattingly, an employee of the road department, just completed training to obtain the necessary FAA license to fly the drone. The drone shoots HD video and still images, and can be used for a variety of uses to inspect areas areas not easily accessible.
In other business, the county:
— discussed the realignment of Maywood Drive at US150. Magistrate Sam Hutchins said that part of the existing Maywood Drive is not a dedicated public roadway. He said before approving a resolution regarding taking over any right-of-way from the state related to the new Maywood entrance, he would like to see this section of road dedicated as a public roadway.
Magistrates Jeff Lear, left, and Bernard Ice review a document prior to the start of Tuesday’s Nelson Fiscal Court meeting.
— received an update from David Evans, the GIS Mapping Coordinator from the City of Bardstown. Evans discussed the the remaining private roads that need to be named across the county. He also said he is working to try to get the new road names visible more quickly on Google Maps and other services.
— approved changes to its ABC ordinance so they mirror existing state law.
— approved appointing Roger Robinson to the county’s recreation board. Robinson replaces board member John Cecil.
— heard a reminder that free passes to the county landfill will be arriving in the December utility bills.
— approved the Nelson County Jail’s policies and procedures manual.
UP NEXT. Nelson Fiscal Court will next meet for a special meeting on Tuesday, Dec. 18, 2018.
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