Court seeks bids to clear industrial park tracts; county clerk’s office to reopen

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Tuesday, Nov. 17, 2020 — Nelson Fiscal Court approved a motion to request bids to clear two heavily wooded tracts in the Nelson County Industrial Park.

The park property was logged more than a dozen years ago, but Judge Executive Dean Watts said that there is developable land left in the park that needs to be cleared of trees and brush.

The county will advertise for bids to log the tracts and then clear them. The winning bidder will keep the proceeds of the logging as part of the deal.

According to Watts, clearing the two tracts will make them more attractive to potential buyers, and make them easier to market.

County engineer Brad Spalding said separate bids will sought on each tract in order to allow the county to proceed with a single tract if desired.

One tract is located behind Flowers Foods, and it will require the county build an access road to get equipment to the tract. The second tract — 12 to 14 acres — is across from the Salt River Electric entrance on Parkway Drive.

“It’s an effort to open up some potential property that (Kim Huston) can market,” Spalding said.
“If we can get these tress off the tracts a reaosonable price, it might be looking at.”

The project is in cooperation with the Bardstown Industrial Development Corp.

COUNTY CLERK LIMITED REOPENING. County Clerk Jeanette Sidebottom said she plans to open her office for limited vehicle registrations and renewals on Wednesday, Nov. 18, 2020. Her office closed last week after her office was hit with COVID.

Her office will reopen Wednesday, but with only two windows open for customers for vehicle transfers and renewals. She said customers can expect the lines to begin outside, as she will not permit a long line to form inside the building.

Customers still have the open of conducting business online, renew by mail or use the drop box at the front of the building.

For more information, contact the clerk’s office at (502) 348-1820.

ROADSIDE CLEANUP FUNDS. Due to a lower level of participating in the recent county roadside cleanup, the county has clean-up funds remaining that if they aren’t spend, will have to be returned to the state by Dec. 31, 2020.

Watts suggested that the county may consider a second round of cleanup opportunities for local clubs and civic groups. The groups can earn money for cleaning a section of county highway.

Watts said he may also check to see if the county can get an extension on the deadline to use the money for future roadside trash pick-up.

LANDFILL REPORT. John Greenwell, the county’s solid waste director, provided the court with an update on the expansion plans for hte county landfill.

Greenwell said work continues on the needed permits, and that he believes the approvals will be complated in time to advertise for bids next Spring.

Due to the upcoming Thanksgiving holiday, the county’s garbage routes normally run on Thursday will be run the following day, Friday. Friday’s county garbage routes will be run on Saturday. Customers are asked to get their garbage out by 7 a.m. on their pickup day.

In other business, Nelson Fiscal Court:

— heard a report from Joe Prewitt, the county’s emergency services director, that the county has recorded a total of 5 COVID-related deaths. Eighty-eight new COVID-19 cases were reported Monday, pushing the county’s case total to 1,682.

Prewitt said the recent free COVID testing at the Nelson County Fairgrounds administered 180 tests over two days. More free testing will take place on Dec. 17 and Dec. 18.

— heard from Jailer Buck Snellen that his chief deputy jail is currently working from home due to being quarantined because of exposure to the Coronavirus. Snellen said the county still has 4 inmates in quarantine at the LaRue County Jail. All of the jail’s inmates were tested last Friday and there were no positive tests.

— approved a resolution in support of receiving $267,800 in discretionary funds from the Department of Transportation. The funds will be used for additional paving projects on county roads.

— the court agreed to move forward with needed repairs at the county-owned building on West Stephen Foster that was formerly the office building for the state’s unemployment offices.

— the court heard a report from Bardstown City Councilwoman Betty Kelley Hart on the work she has been doing with the local drug coalition.

NEXT UP. Nelson Fiscal Court next will meet at 9 a.m. on Tuesday, Dec. 1, 2020.

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