Court OKs land sale to B’town Bourbon; adds tree debris to bulky item pickup

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Tuesday, March 7, 2023 — Nelson Fiscal Court approved the sale of approximately 38 acres of land in the Nelson County Industrial Park to the Bardstown Bourbon Co. at its meeting Tuesday morning.

The announcement came at the end of a short executive session as the court’s meeting was wrapping up.

The land is in two tracts adjacent to a tract already owned by Bardstown Bourbon. The new tracts will allow the company to build two lakes on the property.

The announced purchase price was $600,000.

BULKY ITEM PICKUP. So far the county’s bulky item pickup has collected 141.6 tons of items, along with 550 tires. The numbers are ahead of last year due mainly to the warmer weather allowing people to get their items to the roadside in a timely manner.

Residents are asked to not mix household garbage with bulky items.

TREE DEBRIS. While bulky item pickup is still ongoing, the court voted to allow property owners who have had trees downed or limbs fall to bring the brush and tree debris to the right of way for pickup as part of bulky item pickup.

For property owners who are in the county’s first area that has already had their bulky items collected, a tree debris pickup crew will return in the coming weeks to pick up tree debris.

County engineer Brad Spalding said the tree debris must be in the right of way and not on the individual’s property.

Spalding estimated the cost of a truck and crew to pick up tree debris to run between $50,000 and $75,000. The expense may be reimbursed by FEMA.

STORM DAMAGE. Emergency Service Director Joe Prewitt confirmed that Nelson County has met the threshold for FEMA assistance.

Private property owners with damage are asked to take photos of their damage and send those reports to nelsoncountyweatherdamage@gmail.com

Prewitt said that the FEMA may be able to compensate property owners for losses beyond their insurance coverage.

NEW HOPE FIREHOUSE. The high winds removed the roof off the New Hope Firehouse and left the building uninhabitable. The department’s equipment has been sent temporarily to other departments.

LUTHERAN CHURCH WATER TANK. The court approved contributing $91,500 of the county’s ARPA funds for a joint water tank rehab project with the North Nelson Water District.

The tank on Lutheran Church Road must be updated in order for sufficient water can be supplied to the Heaven Hill distillery site now under construction.

Construction on the new 20-inch water line to bring Louisville Water to the City of Bardstown along KY 245 has been delayed by the state Department of Transportation. The state has planned to widen KY 245 in the future, and until the design for the widened road are completed, they won’t allow utility construction of the new water line to begin.

In order to have sufficient water for Heaven Hill’s new distillery, the plan is to use an existing 12-inch line that goes to the water tank at Lutheran Church Road. Water from that tank will be used to supply the new distillery, Hutchins said.

In other business, the court:

— heard that Judge Executive Hutchins had hired Brad Metcalf to serve assist with grant applications for a variety of projects, including internet, water, etc.

— approved the purchase of a fire suppression system for the county’s backup trash compactor. The cost of the system is $13,834.

— approved a resolution that the county judge can appoint members to the library board.

— heard Hutchins sign a proclamation naming March 15 2023 as St. Joseph Montessori Childrens Center Day.

-30-