Fiscal court: Bulky item pickup continues, pace slowing due to greater use
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
Tuesday, April 5, 2021 (Revised Wednesday, April 6, 2021) — While Nelson County’s bulky item pickup is in its final phase, progress is slow because the amount of items picked up has increased.
John Greenwell, the county’s solid waste coordinator, told Nelson Fiscal Court in its meeting Tuesday morning that the pickup is now in week five and has collected 3,198 cubic yards of refuse weighing 640 tons
The county’s two crews are currently working on Wire Lane and on Woodlawn Road by American Greetings. While the crews are being helped by good weather, the pickup in its final phase is slower simple due to the quantity of items being discarded.
Fifth District Magistrate Eric Shelburne asked when the crews would be moving into his district, which includes the northeast nelson area. Shelburne said he was getting numerous phone calls from residents who had items placed for pickup but had not seen the crews in the area yet.
Lee Mattingly, the county’s assistant road supervisor, said the crews are working toward Bloomfield Road and will be in Shelburne’s district any day now.
ROADSIDE CLEANUP. Watts told the court that due to the low participation in the county’s last roadside cleanup last year, he asked the magistrates to consider increasing the amount of money per mile the county pays church groups, clubs and non-profit organizations who volunteer to pickup garbage along county roads.
For the past several years, the county has paid volunteer groups $100 per mile of roadway that is clean up. After low participation last fall, Watts asked for approval to raise the rate to $250 for each mile of a major roadway that is cleaned up, and $150 for the other roads.
Major roads that will earn groups the $250 per mile include US31E South (New Haven Road); US 62 (Boston and Bloomfield Roads); US150 (Springfield Road); KY 245; and KY 49 (Loretto Road).
The magistrates voted unanimously to pay the higher amount.
The state has provided $57,000 for roadside cleanup, and any unused funds must be returned to the state, Watts said. The funds are generated by fees paid by the state’s landfills.
Groups interested in signing up to pickup litter along county roadways can contact Watts’ office at (502) 348-1800. Signups for the roadside cleanup begin April 14, Watts said.
In other business, Nelson Fiscal Court:
— declared three garbage trucks as surplus. The county will advertise them as surplus and sell or auction them off.
— approved tax moratorium requests from the owner of two Maple Hill properties, one at 110 South Elm Grove, and the other at 808 Kurtz Ave. The moratorium means that after the properties are improved, they won’t be reassessed for five years.
— approved giving the Nelson County Air Board $10,000 this fiscal year and another $10,000 in the next fiscal year to help purchase a new tractor. The tractor will be used to help maintain the property and will be able to plow snow from the runways if necessary. The air board will also the City of Bardstown for a similar amount.
— approved the appointment of Bambi Harris to the county’s assessment appeals board.
— heard that April is Child Abuse Prevention Month, and is being represented by the pinwheels placed on the Old Courthouse lawn.
— the trees have been cut on the tract in the Nelson County Industrial Park. County Engineer Brad Spalding said the logging and removal should be completed by the end of next week.
NEXT UP. Judge Watts will present his first draft of the county’s 2021-22 budget at the next meeting of Nelson Fiscal Court, 9 a.m. April 20, 2021, via Zoom.
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