Board approves landscaping contract, approves consent agenda and discusses distillery tax arrangement

Shelby County Board of Education members on March 24, 2025 approved a landscaping services arrangement for district grounds, approved the consent agenda and discussed but did not resolve a proposed application of a 2022 industrial revenue bond tax structure to adjacent property owned by a local distillery.

The landscaping item, described in the board packet as assigning regular landscaping responsibility to a vendor and allowing the district flexibility to call additional services as needed, received a motion and a second and was approved by voice vote. The packet materials indicated the vendor would perform weekly work barring drought or other exceptions; the contract amount and vendor name were not specified in the meeting record.

The board also moved and approved the consent agenda during the meeting; no roll-call tallies for individual members were read into the record during the discussion excerpt provided.

Distillery tax structure discussion

Board members discussed a previously entered agreement (dated in 2022) that established a tax structure tied to the purchase price of property rather than subsequent renovations or improvements. The topic arose because the distillery has purchased adjacent property and seeks the same tax treatment for that parcel. Board counsel, identified in the discussion as Mr. Owsley, reviewed revisions to the agreement and advised the board that adoption of a resolution and authority for a signing official would be needed to carry out the change. A board member said the agreement was initially used to attract new business and jobs to the county.

No final vote on the proposed resolution for the distillery was recorded in the transcript excerpt. Several board members asked for additional information about prior agreements, barrel‑price arrangements and which parcels were included. One member indicated willingness to table the matter until staff returned with detailed information; the transcript does not record a formal tabling motion or final vote on that item.

Votes at a glance

- Landscaping services: Motion made and seconded; outcome recorded by voice vote as approved ("All in favor, say aye. Aye."). Specific mover/second and vote tally not specified in the transcript excerpt.

- Consent agenda: Motion made and seconded; outcome recorded by voice vote as approved ("All in favor, say aye. Aye."). Specific mover/second and vote tally not specified in the transcript excerpt.

- 2022 Industrial Revenue Bond / Distillery tax-structure resolution: Discussed; no final vote recorded. Board counsel provided edits and recommended adoption and authority to sign if the board chose to proceed; board asked staff for further detail before deciding.

Ending

Board members asked staff to gather contract and agreement details and suggested discussing the distillery tax structure in a future work session. No other formal actions were recorded in the posted excerpt.