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Rowan County Fiscal Court approves multiple ordinances, tax rates and road incorporations
Summary
At its Aug. 19 meeting Rowan County Fiscal Court adopted a code of ethics ordinance, amended alcohol licensing rules, approved tax/assessment rates for 2025–2026, incorporated two roads into the county system, and passed multiple related motions.
Rowan County Fiscal Court used its Aug. 19 meeting to adopt several ordinances and set tax and assessment rates for the coming year.
The court adopted an updated county code of ethics ordinance, citing authority under KRS Chapter 65, to clarify language about ethics boards and commissions and to require an annual December meeting and periodic reports to the fiscal court.
The court also amended county Alcoholic Beverage Control rules to require that county building inspectors certify that a proposed business location meets county code before the county issues or renews an ABC license. The judge said the change resolves situations where state licensing preceded county inspection.
On transportation and vehicle policy, the court passed an ordinance implementing the state’s 2025 Kentucky Acts Chapter 89 provisions to allow street-legal special purpose vehicles on certain local highways with limits. The presiding judge successfully amended the county ordinance during debate to explicitly require that anyone operating a street-legal special purpose vehicle on county roads be a licensed driver; the motion carried on roll call with one recorded "no" vote by Magistrate Charlie Winkelmann.
The court also adopted ordinances to incorporate Jake Street (Mile 0–0.0715) and Cole Drive (Mile 0–0.0723) into the county road system; officials amended the Jake Street motion to explicitly include the cul-de-sac in the mapping before the roll call.
On tax matters, the court set the 2025 real property rate at the compensating rate of 6.5¢ per $100 of assessed value (a 0.3¢ decrease); personal property and motor vehicle/watercraft rates were set with no change on several funds. The court accepted motor vehicle and watercraft rates for the Rowan County Health Department and Public Library as presented. Officials clarified that under state law the fiscal court’s authority is limited to adopting compensating rates unless a lawful change is pursued through the state process.
Each of these items was presented with copies on file at the county clerk’s office and passed by roll call or unanimous voice votes as recorded.
Action and next steps: ordinances and rate schedules will be posted in county files and enforced per their effective dates.
