By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
Tuesday, March 17, 2026 — Nelson Fiscal Court approved a resolution to honor Tech Sgt. Ashley B. (/Young) Pruitt, 34, the Bardstown woman who died last Thursday in the crash of the KC-135 refueling aircraft on which she was part of the six member crew.
TIM HUTCHINS
Pruitt belonged to the 6th Air Refueling Wing based at MacDill Air Force Base, Fla.
The resolution seeks to rename a portion of Deatsville Road in the area of New Salem Baptist Church the “Technical Sergeant Ashley B (Young) Pruitt Memorial Highway.”
The resolution requests state Sen. Jimmy Higdon and state Rep. Candy Massaroni file a Joint Resolution to formalize the renaming of this section of Deatsville Road.
Nelson County Judge-Executive Tim Hutchins also requested a moment of silence at the start of the meeting in honor of Pruitt’s service and her sacrifice to her country.
4-H SHOOTING SPORTS. Nelson Fiscal Court approved a request from the 4-H Shooting Sports organization to relocate an existing trap shooting field and relocate the muzzleloading range. The agreement also allows the addition of a second trap shooting range. The shooting ranges are out near the old quarry on Quarry Lane.
BULKY ITEM PICKUP WEEK 3. According to figures provided by Manager John Greenwell, so far the county’s bulky item pickup has collected more refuse and bulky items in Week 3 this year at this point in any of the past 11 years.
The collection has taken in 2,824 cubic yards of refuse and debris, weighing 462.5 tons.
The pickup is currently expected to finish up the second phase by the end of this week.
The third phase of the pickup is set to begin on time Monday, March 23, 2026, in areas east of KY 49 to the county line and east of Louisville Road to the county line.
Customers in these areas are asked to have their items placed on the side of the road by 7 a.m. Monday, March 23rd. Residents are asked not to place items on wagons but to place them on the ground.
WOODLAWN EROSION PROJECT. The court approved a contract to have an engineering study of an area of Woodlawn Road suffering from severe erosion caused by the Beech Fork River.
The river is undercutting the riverbank, causing trees and the bank to move closer to the river’s edge. The study is a geological survey of the area, and the engineering firm will provide ways to stop the ongoing erosion issues.
Brad Metcalf, the county’s emergency management director, said that the geological survey is necessary in order to request emergency funding from FEMA to mediate Woodlawn Road’s erosion issues along the river.
COUNTY CONTRACTS WITH FORMER COUNTY ENGINEER. Nelson Fiscal Court approved the county entering into an employment contract with Jim Lemieux, who served for years as county’s road engineer.
Hutchins said he had used Lemieux’s services in the past and believed it a good idea to have a contract with Lemieux for his services and experience on future county projects.
The contract specifies that Lemieux will be paid $125 for hour for his services to county government.
In other business, the court:
— approved to pay an antenna tower company $25,000 to take down three antenna towers that are being donated to county government. The three towers are 170 feet tall, 100 feet and 60 feet tall. The towers can be used to fill future needs in the county’s emergency communications network.
— agreed to advertise for bids for two Ford Explorer police interceptor vehicles for use by the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office.
+*/
— approved a resolution in support of a grant application by the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office to win Homeland Security grant funds to replace the department’s rifles, which would cost an estimated $120,000.
— heard from representatives of the Nelson County Beef Cattle Association who described the outreach work the group does to educate you and adults about cattle farming.
-30-
Discover more from The Nelson County Gazette
Subscribe to get the latest posts sent to your email.