Bourbon County planning panel approves RFP for countywide comprehensive plan

Members of a Bourbon County planning panel voted unanimously to approve a request for proposals (RFP) for a countywide comprehensive plan and instructed staff to work with the county clerk on distribution and final timeline. The panel recorded that proposals will be due March 20 and agreed to mark subsequent schedule dates as tentative.

Panel members said the revised draft RFP cleans up duplicated language and adds clearer scope and deliverables. One presenter told the group that the county commission had authorized the panel to proceed and that the county clerk, Susan, would coordinate how the RFP is distributed. Members debated whether to advertise the RFP publicly via a website and whether to include an existing feasibility study as background information for bidders.

Why it matters: Panel members said adopting a formal comprehensive plan will position Bourbon County on par with neighboring counties, improve the county’s competitiveness for grants and economic development, and give the county clearer direction when reviewing large development proposals. Several members said a clear scope and deliverables will help bidders return comparable proposals.

Discussion and dissent: Some members expressed concern about cost. The transcript records a debate over a proposed budget figure near $100,000; one member said a lower-cost option would be preferable if it met the county’s needs. Members discussed trade-offs between price and scope, noting that very low bids often omit community engagement work that the panel expects. The group agreed to shortlist two or three preferred approaches to recommend to the county commission rather than bind the commission to a single provider.

Process and timeline: The panel agreed the RFP’s proposal due date should be March 20. The presenter said they would work with Susan to set and distribute the remaining dates and would mark those dates as tentative to allow time for member review. Members raised and resolved an administrative issue about receiving packets and agreed the presenter would confirm contact information and send individual text messages to ensure all members receive the RFP notice.

Funding and background documents: Panel members noted potential funding sources including money tied to recently signed contracts with solar companies; the transcript indicates the county has not yet received those funds but has signed the contracts. Members also discussed an existing feasibility study described in the meeting as a large (about 850‑page) document; some said it might be useful to provide it to bidders as background, while others warned bidders may not rely heavily on prior work.

Vote and next steps: A member moved to approve the RFP "with the exception of the dates," another member seconded, and members voted unanimously to approve. The panel directed staff to finalize distribution with the county clerk and return with RFP responses for review. The next full meeting will be scheduled after distribution; the panel agreed it may cancel or reschedule depending on when proposals are received.

Votes at a glance: The panel recorded the following formal actions during the meeting: the RFP approval (motion approved unanimously) and a subsequent procedural motion to cancel the March meeting (approved unanimously). The transcript records voice votes and the word "unanimous," but does not include a roll-call tally by member names.

The panel adjourned after the votes. The presenter will finalize RFP dates with the county clerk and notify members when proposals are ready for review.