Fiscal Court votes to use opioid settlement funds to purchase K-9 for Sheriff’s Office

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / wBRT Radio

Saturday, March 7, 2026 — Nelson Fiscal Court voted unanimously to use some of its opioid settlement money to fund the purchase of a new K-9 drug dog for use by the Nelson County Sheriff’s Office.

The action was part of the court’s first meeting back in the Old Courthouse after eight months of remodeling and heating and air upgrades to the building.

The local Commonwealth’s Attorney office is using money from the sale of confiscated property to fund the purchase of a second K-9 drug dog for use by the sheriff’s office.

JAIL MEDICAL BILL POOLING. Nelson County Jailer Justin Hall asked the court to consider creating a pool of funds that would be used to pay medical expenses for the jail’s inmates.

The responsiblity for payment of medical expenses depends on if the inmate is a state or county inmate, Hall explained. Medicaid pays for the healthcare of indigent inmates, while the county pays for state inmates care that is eventually reimbursed by the state.

Pooling will allow all medical-related bills to go to one person who will follow them through as needed for payment or reimbursement. Any funds that aren’t spent can either be rolled over to the next fiscal year or go back into the fiscal court general fund.

Fiscal court approved the request to pool the jail’s medical expenses.

COUNTY ROADSIDE CLEANUP. Solid Waste Coordinator John Greenwell told the court it is time for non-profit groups to sign up for the county’s annual roadside cleanup.

Non-profit groups can earn $100 per mile of road that they clean of trash, bottles, cans and other rubbish.

For information, contact Greenwell at the Nelson County Landfill at (502) 348-1867, or call the judge-executive’s office at (502) 348-1800.

BULKY ITEM PICKUP. The next phase of the county’s Bulky Item Pickup begins Monday, March 9th and covers the southern parts of the county.

Residents are asked to have their bulky items out by the road by 7 a.m. Monday, March 9, 2026.

In other business, the court:

— approved advertising for bids for new dispatch consoles for the Nelson County Dispatch Center.

— heard from EMA Director Brad Metcalfe that the statewide tornado drill was Wednesday, March 4, 2026, at 10:07 a.m. The county’s weather sirens will sound as part of the test.

If a weather siren failed to sound, contact the judge-executive’s office to report at (502) 348-1800.

— approved a resolution in support of House Bill 557, a billl that would improve state funding for the state’s county jail system.

— approved the jail’s policy and procedures manual for this fiscal year.

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