Nicholasville approves parade, business incentive and Spectrum franchise; music festival plan presented

The Nicholasville City Commission on Aug. 26 voted to allow the Jessamine Fall Festival parade to proceed on the same route as last year, authorized a local incentive for a private employer under the Kentucky Business Investment Act and approved a 10‑year cable franchise with Spectrum Mid‑America LLC, while also clearing routine personnel and finance items.

Roger Fields, who introduced the proposed Nicholasville Vibes Music Festival as “a family music festival” intended to benefit local nonprofits, told commissioners the one‑day event is planned for Oct. 26 at the fairgrounds and would feature two stages, food vendors and private security. Fields said organizers are exploring a charitable raffle and working with private companies for parking and security; he said initial ticket sales were in the “a couple hundred” range but organizers hope to scale up. “The vision is to create a family music festival for Nicholasville,” Fields said.

The commission voted to approve parade coverage for the Jessamine Fall Festival after staff and the police chief said parade staffing appeared manageable this year. Commissioners discussed festival staffing, overtime costs for public safety and permitting timelines; festival organizers agreed to confirm police coverage for the multi‑day fairground event within two weeks.

On economic development, the commission approved Resolution 2024‑004 to permit rebate/retention of a 0.6 occupational tax license fee under the Kentucky Business Investment program for a company identified in the meeting as Omega. Staff said the project would bring about 75 jobs and a total investment of $31,500,000. The motion to authorize the mayor to sign the resolution passed by roll call.

The commission also authorized the mayor to sign Resolution 2024‑005, awarding a nonexclusive 10‑year franchise to Spectrum Mid‑America LLC for a cable television system within the city. A staff representative said the Kentucky Regional Cable Commission negotiated the agreement with Spectrum and referenced franchise counsel Linda Ainge; commissioners asked about enforcement and remedies for noncompliance and were told the franchise includes options to pursue compliance or cancel if needed.

Other approved business included ratifying a memorandum of agreement with PE Development LLC tied to a recent annexation (phase 3 expansion of Half Hill Estates); donating a standby cemetery truck to the Parks and Recreation department; hiring two temporary full‑time police officers under KRS 95.022; rate and pay adjustments in the police and planning departments; hiring two wastewater plant operator trainees; and approving accounts payable totaling $6,765,688.63 covering Aug. 6–23, which staff said was elevated in part because of ARPA funding.

Commissioners and staff used the latter portion of the meeting for department updates and community notices, including progress on pickleball court lighting, pool renovation bidding, traffic control requests and a Kentucky Supreme Court favorable opinion on a litigation matter involving the city. No members of the public spoke during the public‑comment period.

The commission adjourned after routine announcements and closed the meeting without scheduling additional votes on the music festival pending further coordination with county emergency management and the fiscal court.