Nelson Fiscal Court reviews snow event impact, preps for bulky item pickup
Nelson Fiscal Court met Tuesday morning. From left, magistrates Eric Shelburne, Jeff Lear, Bernard Ice, Gary Coulter, Keith Metcalfe and Judge Executive Dean Watts.
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
Tuesday, Jan. 22, 2019 — Nelson Fiscal Court approved first-reading of an ordinance to correct an oversight in the ordinance governing the collection of fire department dues in the county.
When fiscal court allowed the fire departments to place their fire dues on the county property tax bills, the ordinance lacked detail about the fee the sheriff’s office could charge for collecting the dues for the fire departments.
The amended ordinance codified the sheriff’s office current practice of taking a 1 percent collection fee. The measure will receive final approval the court’s next meeting on Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019.
The needed ordinance update was identified during an audit.
SNOW & ICE. The court discussed the recent snow event and the county’s use of salt versus combining salt and sand for use on the county’s ice and snow-covered road. Lee Mattingly, the assistant county road supervisor, said the county truck spread 100 percent salt due to the fact the temperatures were going to drop.
Using sand allows the county to save on the cost of buying more salt, though County Engineer Brad Spalding said the county used roughly the same amount of salt during a similar snowfall last year as they used with 100 percent salt this year.
The county used approximately 200 tons of salt to treat county roads during the recent snow. The county used almost that much of the salt/sand mixture during a similar snowfall in the past.
The salt can give tires more grip if it remains on the roadway. But, as Mattingly noted, sand will not melt snow or ice. Spalding noted that the state highway department no longer uses sand, just 100 percent salt.
BULKY ITEM PICKUP. Bulky item pickup begins the week of Feb. 25, 2019. The pickup area includes parts of the county that are east of US31E north of Bardstown, and east of KY 49, the Loretto Road, on the south half of the county.
TIRE AMNESTY. The county is once again conducted a three-day tire amnesty — a period when county residents can bring in an unlimited number of vehicle tires for disposal. The tire amnesty event will be held May 9-11, 2019, at the Nelson County Fairgrounds.
COMMITTEE ASSIGNMENTS. Judge Executive Dean Watts presented the magistrates with their committee assignments. The appointments are effective immediately through the rest of each magistrate’s term in office.
Equipment & Grounds: Keith Metcalfe and Gary Coulter.
Parks & Recreation: Jeff Lear and Keith Metcalfe.
Public protection / EMA / EMS: Gary Coulter and Keith Metcalfe.
Planning and zoning: Bernard Ice and Jeff Lear.
Personnel: Bernard Ice and Eric Shelburne
Solid Waste / Landfill: Jeff Lear and Eric Shelburne
Jail: Eric Shelburne and Bernard Ice.
Road Department: Keith Metcalfe and Bernard Ice.
Budget Committee: Jeff Lear and Gary Coulter.
Watts said he was adding a budget committee to the list and that he had dissolved the animal control committee.
SURPLUS PROPERTY. The court approved a request to declare approximately 100 metal chairs as surplus property in order to sell them at auction. The chairs are the ones that served until recently in the Nelson County Civic Center.
The chairs and some other surplus property will be sold at auction at a future date
In other business, the court:
— approved the appointment of Christina Bradford to the Joint Ethics Board. The appointment is a joint appointment with the City of Bardstown, which has already approved the appointment.
— approved the 2018 Sheriff’s Tax Settlement pending its audit.
— held an executive session regarding the sale or acquisition of real estate. When the court returned to open session, no action was taken.
NEXT UP. Nelson Fiscal Court next meets and 9 a.m. Tuesday, Feb. 5, 2019, in the fiscal court meeting room on the second floor of the Old Courthouse.
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