Barren County Fiscal Court on Dec. 16 approved selecting a respondent (advertised as CPC Commodities in committee) to serve as the potential operator for a feasibility study into a proposed grain elevator in the county.

Judge Byrd and committee members described the decision as the study’s first phase: the county will evaluate multiple properties along the rail, determine the appropriate size and operator model and then, if the study is favorable, seek design and construction funding. “No tax dollars at all from Barren County” will be used in the study phase, a magistrate said during the discussion.

The court authorized staff to pursue agricultural economic-development grant funding through the state ag office to pay for the study. If the study returns a recommendation that the project is viable, the court said it would then consider negotiated agreements between the selected private operator and the county; if no agreement can be reached, the county will not proceed.

Magistrates discussed outreach plans: study groups will include large and small farmers, ag businesses and county officials to assess costs, likely locations near rail lines and farmer demand. Committee members noted farmer interest both within Barren County and among producers passing through the area.

The motion to accept the respondent as the study operator and authorize pursuit of grant funding passed by roll call; the selection was presented to the fiscal court after being opened and reviewed in the committee meeting the day prior.