Pike County Fiscal Court on Aug. 18 approved a resolution authorizing the county to file for a Kentucky Local Match Participant Program (LMPP) grant to provide local matching funds for a large home buyout award administered through the U.S. Department of Agriculture Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS).

Judge Jones told the court the county has been approved for up to $33,521,514.20 through NRCS for a buyout program for homes at risk of flooding and that the county’s portion would be about $3,162,407. He said more than 300 homeowners applied for the program. "Had over 300 homeowners apply for this," the judge said.

The court then passed a resolution authorizing the filing of a Kentucky local match participant program (LMPP) project application up to $3,200,000 with the Kentucky Department for Local Government and directing the county judge to execute necessary documents and act as the authorized correspondent for the project.

Motion to adopt the resolution was made by Commissioner Atkins and seconded by Commissioner Lewis. The clerk recorded a unanimous roll-call vote in favor.

The resolution authorizes staff to pursue the state-level match funding that would allow the county to accept and implement the NRCS-funded buyout program; the judge said the state would pick up the local 10% match in the program structure the county is pursuing.

No details on which specific properties will be purchased or a final participant list were provided at the meeting; court members said staff will continue work on program implementation if the state match application is approved.