The Warren County Fiscal Court on Oct. 23 voted to establish a committee to review applications and recommend criteria for industrial revenue bonds and approved a separate resolution authorizing taxable industrial building revenue bonds of up to $224,000,000 to finance an industrial facility to be leased to Kroger Limited Partnership or its affiliates.

The new committee, created by resolution 25-18, will be appointed by the judge and is intended to provide developers and county officials guidance on criteria for IRB financing; the court emphasized that the committee’s recommendations would be advisory, not binding. The court approved the resolution by unanimous roll call after a motion by Esquire Williams and second by Esquire Leslie.

Court members then approved resolution 25-19 authorizing the issuance of taxable industrial building revenue bonds in one or more series, with proceeds to be used to finance acquisition, construction, installation, improvement, expansion and equipping of an industrial building facility to be leased to Kroger Limited Partnership, its affiliates, successors or assigns. County staff and Gil Johnson described the project as a major investment and a traditional IRB structure that carries no obligation or liability for the county.

Gil Johnson told the court, “This is a very traditional 1. It is principally to save a number of jobs and to create some new additional jobs and of course increase an investment in the community by over $200,000,000.” Court members said the project would preserve existing jobs, add positions and increase local investment.

Both resolutions were approved by roll call votes with all present magistrates recorded as voting yes.

The resolutions do not obligate county funds, and county officials noted that approval simply authorizes the bond issuance and related documents and actions necessary to complete the financing. Court members said the separate IRB review committee will give applicants a clearer roadmap and allow the court to evaluate projects more consistently in the future.

The court did not provide additional contractual terms, bond series schedule, or a final bond closing date during the meeting. County staff said more details and any lease, payment-in-lieu-of-taxes agreements and related financing documents would be brought to the court for approval as they are finalized.