[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,74,86],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},"mediaId",6485012,"mediaKeyId","5472182-1932451e1c4440427cba7a23668e8ef6","parentId",5472182,"title","Spencer County court approves radio system contract and pavilion construction plan; several personnel and grant motions also pass","audioSeconds",2283,"startMs",3967000,"endMs",6250000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5472182-1932451e1c4440427cba7a23668e8ef6&start=3967&end=6250","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5472182-1932451e1c4440427cba7a23668e8ef6/thumbnail_3967000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6485012/Spencer-County/Kentucky/Spencer-County-court-approves-radio-system-contract-and-pavilion-construction-plan-several-personnel-and-grant-motions-also-pass","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6485012-ef346501356d4f3b7cc697be43972635/orig.mp4?Expires=1775148747&Signature=XI2FodO0E4pxN5KKF42lu1VHwXO8GpYT4oF-igSywXrjFYy4p4x8Kq5r8tMmvjWU1fQgCBbFe0J4NfjNuyo7XmIxqhZ61haYkM~lM8EEd-28vqq5-Fr8-r8qfZEXanB8531KnepklhTeFvaoYl-vHd31u2IyIEBme5N2bxdmpcEjWlVREgH7kMxrifuXDjieeVq9QZNjF90tMFOGA4dnpeRZoBiDkpCCY57lpoL6NGCbijOKhKswXSnEGE9smc8Jy8aXm5grEtcHT-OchvNIobfm7032aK3~8aJHCvGu9e1fX~hxwUiNvC3dzg~AOtHvupZPQ~MfBGdgT3tpqBCh-g__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","","date","2025-07-23T16:33:17Z","article","The Spencer County Fiscal Court voted on multiple items during its meeting, including a communications‑system contract, a pavilion construction award and several routine personnel and grant matters.

Radio system: The court accepted a bid from BEI (bid package presented by county staff) to upgrade the county’s radio system, with a contract amount of $204,046 and an additional site‑preparation authorization not to exceed $15,000 for a building, air conditioner and generator. The motion to accept the bid was made by Squire Jim and seconded by Squire Mike; the court approved the award by voice vote. County staff said the final memorandum of understanding (MOU) and contract details will be completed before work begins and that payments will be phased to milestones.

Pavilion construction: After opening four bids, the court discussed scope and cost. The court amended a motion and ultimately approved awarding the turnkey pavilion project to Elder Construction for $2,500,000. The approval passed on roll call, four votes to two. County officials said the budget includes $2,000,000 allocated for the site and that a $300,000 farmers‑market grant is expected to offset part of the cost; the county indicated it will arrange financing for remaining needs and pursue grants for additional site amenities.

Personnel, pay and hires: The court approved several personnel items: two part‑time EMS hires (names listed on agenda) contingent on meeting hiring requirements; and an immediate increase in the set‑time (inmate) pay from $10 to $15 per hour. The motions passed by voice vote. The court also approved the regular bills and transfers and the county’s financial report.

Grants and community programs: The Spencer County Historical & Genealogical Society’s cemetery preservation request was approved from the county’s allocation; the magistrate with a conflict abstained. The court approved seeking a $4,400 dead‑animal grant from local ag development funds and authorized planning for an October tire amnesty event (three days). Officials said soil‑conservation and other third‑party grants will continue to be pursued.

Financing: During discussion of the pavilion and other capital projects the court debated funding options. A motion was made to seek $1,000,000 in additional borrowing to cover the pavilion and other near‑term projects; the court discussed terms and next steps and staff said financing options (including a local bond pool program) will be brought back to the court for final selection. The transcript records the motion to seek financing and extended discussion; the minutes do not show a final roll‑call decision on the borrowing at this meeting.

Timing and next steps: County staff said radio system installation could be staged over weeks with phased payments tied to milestones; pavilion contracts and construction timelines will follow contract negotiations and permit work. The Edmonson Road discontinuance matter will return to the court after statutory posting and surveyor reports. Other routine agenda items — cemetery funding, payroll changes and invoices — were approved in single‑voice votes at the meeting.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","July 21st, 2025 Fiscal Court Meeting","oneSentenceSummary","Fiscal Court accepted a radio system bid and authorized a $2.5 million pavilion contract, approved two part‑time EMS hires, raised inmate pay and approved several grants and routine bills. The court also opened the statutory road discontinuance process and will seek additional financing for capital projects.","taxTitle","Spencer County, Kentucky","taxId",72520,"location","headline","shortSummary",{"_33":75,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":76,"_41":77,"_43":78,"_45":79,"_47":80,"_49":81,"_51":82,"_53":83,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":84,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":85,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6485017,"Spencer County residents oppose proposed closure of Edmonson Road; court starts discontinuance process",1713,2241000,3954000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5472182-1932451e1c4440427cba7a23668e8ef6&start=2241&end=3954","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5472182-1932451e1c4440427cba7a23668e8ef6/thumbnail_2241000.jpg","/articles/6485017/Spencer-County/Kentucky/Spencer-County-residents-oppose-proposed-closure-of-Edmonson-Road-court-starts-discontinuance-process","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6485017-5b30a75909325af41882ced929f855e1/orig.mp4?Expires=1775148747&Signature=WrhnYDOsq0xpacS0ojmff6Mg8FpSBu007EJzY9~r2ZsND76qyPJH9EAyztXleXHVTCtpyDfhPHGrbT88XKLsHCzWUyJbB4kPyLZAKFEaAsnemLMh2ho1J5FjC4lpug0QNQp5piTlIpiJtYDkSPBu~4gO6VxzuEzEcVA2f9OSW9n7kw1ZKtxnABLGZuUBCHtv0vIFmMM5UNIka0AhN~Bt-EiEGNATswAVM3TrZ0ZFS4Z7e6kKo5Tb7cMCb8yEQXDVQSb1pWJjmodxnX1mygCJmsXEoACf8VG2txj5FcitLg-y0wMHIhpQ74xFUk4gNW702IJnj05UsdsdKaKtE1s8Dg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Residents who use Edmonson Road urged the Spencer County Fiscal Court not to close the road at a public hearing, saying the county route is the only legal access to several parcels and that closing it would leave properties landlocked.

“Sue Evanston” (identified in the record as a resident who owns property served by the road) told the court the road “has been there for about a hundred and fifty years” and that her family has used it since 1953. “The road is the only way that we have to get into this property. We are rain‑locked. There’s no other way to get in,” she said.

Other residents described repeated flood damage, washed‑out sections and personal property loss that made travel difficult. Deb Edmonson said her family has farmed and used the road for decades; she told the court a grandson plans to build a cabin there and that alternate access would be cost‑prohibitive.

Several speakers also described criminal activity and dumping. Grant Barnett said he has documented theft, vandalism and dumped vehicles and that those problems prompted calls to consider discontinuing the county’s maintenance obligation. “I would like to keep people from dumping trash, stealing things, going back here to do the drills,” Barnett said, adding he would sign an easement to preserve neighbors’ access if the road were removed from the county system.

County staff and magistrates described the statutory discontinuance process under Kentucky law: the court must post notices, appoint two disinterested parties to inspect the road and report back with findings, and hold the matter in public. The court told speakers that process has been started and that the two disinterested parties have been identified. The court said another public hearing will occur after the survey and report.

The court did not vote to close the road at the meeting. Officials advised property owners that discontinuance, if approved later, generally converts the county right‑of‑way to private easement rights that preserve the same access for affected properties, although local officials urged neighbors to agree on a private easement in writing where possible.

Court staff said relevant statutory exceptions — for example, if county work has occurred on the road within the prior three years or if one or more owners object — will affect any final decision. The item will return to the court after the disinterested‑party inspections and public notice postings are completed.","Residents told the Fiscal Court that Edmonson Road is the sole access to multiple properties and urged the court not to discontinue it. Several neighbors reported flooding damage and trespass; proponents of closure cited vandalism and dumping. The court said the legal survey/posting process has begun and further hearings will follow.",{"_33":87,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":88,"_41":89,"_43":90,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":56,"_73":56},6485021,"Spencer County court authorizes judge to sign interlocal agreement with Kentucky in Works, contingent on county attorney review",826,514000,1340000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5472182-1932451e1c4440427cba7a23668e8ef6&start=514&end=1340","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5472182-1932451e1c4440427cba7a23668e8ef6/thumbnail_514000.jpg","/articles/6485021/Spencer-County/Kentucky/Spencer-County-court-authorizes-judge-to-sign-interlocal-agreement-with-Kentucky-in-Works-contingent-on-county-attorney-review","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6485021-ba9a44d2abcd206afbd44ded12c90a9b/orig.mp4?Expires=1775148747&Signature=CHI2obAKAh6d8qOlJo~OBZhDpOP~xt2DB9UidnzDk5KuwZ29vM9mIe0-Mf6MSZkE9eUmSnlAMohLrDeTCtkU7rzgi0xeBX~pvHIzwNq7QEEXNIYrsfKF6YLvm-XQ4F1E6PiDlhXu7RDe~4mf81JAnBYH-qMWwwsa4ot-4RPZtyrH9TTNeJZW12PZqiuPdPgtCwECwggDBS61bwvG1lp-GugOk44K1MlMpQrUF-RT~ctzX0c0cRsvMJBaQErSVuSP0tqt2mhtkXtOazHOkBj8sO9bsNbOOMhx2oiMAFmBjr6ay1YJ7QHsI8MwXpA9LIv2-B~qWynUCSEYUFpDiOK6cQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Spencer County Fiscal Court voted to let Judge Travis sign an interlocal agreement with Kentucky in Works, a regional workforce board, after a presentation from the board’s executive director and questions from magistrates about liability and local exposure.

Kentucky in Works Executive Director Michael Britton told the court the workforce board receives federal, state and local funds to help jobseekers and that the five‑year interlocal agreement primarily describes board composition and liability sharing. “We get audited by outside auditors every year. We get monitored by the state,” Britton said. “In my 20, almost 23 years being there, we've managed almost $300,000,000. No disallowed cost of any kind. No problem.”

The nut of the debate was a liability clause in the interlocal agreement that says, in a worst‑case scenario, counties would share responsibility pro rata for any disallowed costs based on population. Britton and magistrates described multiple layers of oversight and insurance that the board relies on to avoid that outcome: contract recovery, insurance coverage, waivers, offsets against future grant revenues and state monitoring.

Magistrates asked how much Spencer County currently receives from the board and what the county’s share of risk might look like. Britton estimated Spencer County’s current direct annual benefit at “probably $200,000–$300,000 a year” from federal and state streams, including a state House Bill 1 fund to serve young adults and high‑school seniors. He said the board’s total annual budget is about $20,000,000 and that roughly $5,000,000 of that is the federal Workforce Innovation Opportunity Act (WIOA) allocation.

Squire Mike moved to approve entering the interlocal agreement, with Squire Jim seconding the motion, and the court approved the motion by roll call. The court recorded four votes in favor and two opposed. The approval was explicitly made contingent on the county attorney reviewing the agreement and clearing it for the judge to sign.

Court actions and next steps include county attorney review of the interlocal agreement and collection of signatures from the seven counties that participate in the regional board. Britton told the court that, if Spencer County declined to sign, he would have to consider alternatives such as excluding Spencer County from that portion of state funding and returning to the state for guidance.

The court’s approval does not change program rules or create new local expenditures; it authorizes the judge to sign the interlocal agreement once legal review is complete. Magistrates said they wanted the county attorney to confirm the specific wording and any possible mitigation measures before the judge signs.

Michael Britton’s presentation and the court’s vote took place during the communications portion of the meeting; the county will return the agreement to the court for signature only after the county attorney completes the review.","Spencer County Fiscal Court voted to authorize Judge Travis to sign a five‑year interlocal agreement with Kentucky in Works, a regional workforce board, after a presentation that addressed liability and funding questions.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Spencer County court approves radio system contract and pavilion construction plan; several personnel and grant motions also pass

Spencer County residents oppose proposed closure of Edmonson Road; court starts discontinuance process

Spencer County court authorizes judge to sign interlocal agreement with Kentucky in Works, contingent on county attorney review