[{"_1":2,"_87":-5,"_88":-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",[32,75],{"_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":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6469356,"mediaKeyId","5824588-8b17c6960563d2a23e8ecc9d1670b08f","parentId",5824588,"title","Woodford Fiscal Court approves interlocal with Frankfort for $8.5 million sewer extension to Millville","audioSeconds",1314,"startMs",452000,"endMs",1766000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5824588-8b17c6960563d2a23e8ecc9d1670b08f&start=452&end=1766","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5824588-8b17c6960563d2a23e8ecc9d1670b08f/thumbnail_452000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6469356/Woodford-County/Kentucky/Woodford-Fiscal-Court-approves-interlocal-with-Frankfort-for-85-million-sewer-extension-to-Millville","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6469356-d9e88efb6fb773965d1abb0d2c3d3701/orig.mp4?Expires=1770388984&Signature=EAWn1CYGjoY-piq82syYnmLpoaWekYr8n8p0TLhmu4fSNflk5qKY4we-l2VpPHIn7lFofkPg7tWMcO1VU~~wg745C8v541O~b~~2axiNyfg4Ar5fovz~NG7ZB-tPgpDQwI4xvNgnV7Ggs-gCqQ9MZQp9VzNZmb~~seqUNbw253f6kVXlmIlPLdvSRoa9gqtPyg1EjdpYAi7nGcVrOEJDCsxQOD69eXPSOU~njTYyHD0m8bkBK9gDv~X4sN3ahjXVsveIxEp7S6YWZd4qQruwSJQOIZ5oUvaNu8zH6bEBURJEeCY9mfHZ8D2nZyE0yAFEBEcVmhtDvFwRHoV~f25JdA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Woodford County","date","2025-09-24T13:28:24.817Z","article","The Woodford County Fiscal Court unanimously approved an interlocal agreement with the City of Frankfort to use an $8,500,000 state appropriation to extend sanitary sewer service from Frankfort toward the Millville area.

The vote at a special meeting authorized Judge Executive (name not specified) to sign the interlocal; the City of Frankfort approved a companion resolution the previous evening. The county will receive the appropriation and contract with the Bluegrass Area Development District to manage disbursements while Frankfort will lead design, construction and long‑term operation of the new sewer facilities.

County leaders said the arrangement is designed to use Frankfort’s existing wastewater expertise and systems rather than creating a new county utility. \"This is not a Woodford County project…Frankfort is essentially going to take this project over for us,\" the Judge Executive said during the meeting, adding that the agreement protects the county from covering project overruns: \"If the project goes over, it will require additional state funding.\"

Under the interlocal, Frankfort will own wastewater facilities placed in public easements and right‑of‑way, administer industrial pretreatment responsibilities for local industries (including Castle And Key where applicable), and collect sewer service fees according to Frankfort’s outside‑city rate schedule. The county is the recipient of the legislative appropriation and will pay Frankfort’s technical review fees from the grant funds. The Bluegrass Area Development District will administer disbursements on the county’s behalf.

The agreement also requires Woodford County to provide necessary access—rights‑of‑way and easement support—to enable Frankfort to construct and operate service. The Woodford County Health Department will enforce mandatory connections to the sewer system in areas where service is made available, consistent with Frankfort’s ordinance. The Judge Executive told the court that, under Frankfort’s rules, if the utility runs sewer past a residence the ordinance generally requires properties along the route to connect.

Squire Gentry and one resident expressed concern about mandatory connections and the ongoing monthly cost of sewer service compared with periodic septic maintenance. The Judge Executive and the county attorney said that mandatory connections are standard for sewer service and that the court could consider measures to reduce initial financial burden on affected households; the Judge Executive said the fiscal court could consider using some project funds to help citizens connect but would not fund other project infrastructure.

The fiscal court approved (motion by Squire Downey; second by Squire Brown) the interlocal agreement, adopted Resolution 25‑08 authorizing the Judge Executive to sign the interlocal for recording with the Secretary of State, and separately authorized the Judge Executive to execute related documents. All motions passed unanimously.

The Judge Executive said the county will provide the court with next steps and additional information as the project moves forward.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Woodford County Fiscal Court","oneSentenceSummary","The Woodford County Fiscal Court unanimously approved an interlocal agreement with the City of Frankfort to use an $8,500,000 state appropriation to extend sanitary sewer service from Frankfort toward Millville.","taxTitle","Woodford County, Kentucky","taxId",73313,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6469352,"Woodford County accepts $12.3 million USDA buyout grant for floodplain property acquisitions",1140,1767000,2907000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5824588-8b17c6960563d2a23e8ecc9d1670b08f&start=1767&end=2907","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5824588-8b17c6960563d2a23e8ecc9d1670b08f/thumbnail_1767000.jpg","/articles/6469352/Woodford-County/Kentucky/Woodford-County-accepts-123-million-USDA-buyout-grant-for-floodplain-property-acquisitions","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6469352-e5ed739d4d5d3bd9180c5ba038ef1ad8/orig.mp4?Expires=1770388984&Signature=Gbl7At5LjlBdJP0KhNcGpiOviDh9s2v-sra7L7PMOKMp8zWKKRgeLxGMfAdfARx3-enkOA1-1mk~jDl9gKkbNVlNlcVN8wo4kORUZOp66f~N5piBkNLHbzf9g5lRSnq5C39s2eb9gW34BPiWIUs~8M4~2fcfOk5h1R14gvJ~S-I-Nkyl5yYrV1PlCwMCcTs5SyhIx3Gy4utCNMo6pvzk76SJwhJTFdFykCgR5fwcK0R~SIhRUPyUXkT5QF6GS7sXvk~yh-5HDLchFycJultX7~vsz9PVl-c-7zrvLLaRWUxG7m7VZDkGT3cota2uqdszXVdlQLlp4wAKunwu1USt1A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Woodford County’s Fiscal Court unanimously approved a USDA grant agreement that could fund up to $12,295,283.44 in buyouts and mitigation activities for properties in the floodplain, with a federal/local cost share of roughly 75% federal and 25% local. The court also approved $695,959.44 allocated for management costs associated with administering the program.

Director Chandler, who presented the agreement, described the program as similar in objective to FEMA hazard mitigation buyouts but with different rules and administrative requirements. He told the court the grant covers acquisition, demolition, environmental remediation and establishing permanent conservation easements on properties that proceed in the program. Director Chandler said the county submitted an initial list of properties and that additional properties could be added through supplemental awards.

\"If we were to do 100% of the work that the USDA has provided for in this grant, it would be a total of $12,295,283.44,\" Director Chandler said, and he confirmed the program operates on a roughly 75% federal / 25% local cost share. The county indicated some or all of the local match could be satisfied through in‑kind work (for example, demolition by the county road department) rather than cash; the management line item of $695,959.44 can fund staff time, appraisals and contractor invoices required to administer acquisitions.

The agreement includes relocation assistance benchmarks discussed at the meeting: approximately $31,000 for an owner of a primary residence and $7,200 for a tenant, subject to program detail and eligibility determinations. The county noted that the USDA program requires use restrictions (permanent conservation easements) on properties purchased to prevent future habitation in the floodplain.

Director Chandler and county staff emphasized the program’s administrative scale and uncertainty: not all properties that express interest will necessarily complete acquisitions, and the county is not required to spend the full grant amount. County leaders said they will establish local prioritization criteria; staff recommended giving priority to primary residences that sustained interior flooding in both the February and April events and to households still displaced.

The court discussed possible county responsibilities at closing. Director Chandler said other implementing jurisdictions have, in some cases, required homeowners to bear part of the local match at closing, and that Woodford County is exploring options including securing state funds to reduce the county’s match obligation. The county attorney, treasurer and staff plan to seek clarifications from the Department for Local Government on several administrative points before spending proceeds.

The Fiscal Court approved the USDA agreement (motion by Squire Gentry; second by Squire Gill) and authorized the Judge Executive to sign all documents related to the award. A separate motion to authorize execution of related documents also passed unanimously. The Judge Executive noted this program is the county’s primary federal option for subsidized buyouts because FEMA mitigation funds were not available for this need.

County staff will return with recommended prioritization criteria, an implementation schedule and any clarifications from state and federal partners.","The fiscal court unanimously approved acceptance of a USDA grant agreement totaling $12,295,283.44 (75% federal / 25% local) for voluntary buyouts, demolition and remediation of flood‑impacted properties, plus $695,959.44 in management funds; the court authorized the Judge Executive to sign related documents.","actionData","errors"]

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Woodford Fiscal Court approves interlocal with Frankfort for $8.5 million sewer extension to Millville

Woodford County accepts $12.3 million USDA buyout grant for floodplain property acquisitions