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Franklin County Fiscal Court approves zoning changes, grant applications and staff hire at Oct. 26 special meeting
Summary
At a special Oct. 26 meeting, the Franklin County Fiscal Court unanimously approved routine minutes and financial reports, authorized grant applications to multiple public-safety and infrastructure programs, approved several zoning ordinances (two with one dissenting vote), amended fire-department hiring rules, authorized a closed session and hired a planning-and-zoning administrative assistant.
Franklin County Judge/Executive Michael Mueller presided over a special meeting of the Franklin County Fiscal Court on Oct. 26, 2023, where the court approved a slate of routine business items and several formal actions, including grant applications, zoning ordinance approvals and a personnel hire.
The court began by approving the minutes from its Oct. 11 meeting and receiving the County Clerk’s quarterly report for the nine months ending Sept. 30, 2023. The body then approved an agreement with HMC Service Company for 24-hour emergency service and preventive maintenance at the Franklin County Regional Jail and approved amendments to the sheriff’s annual order setting maximum amounts for deputies and assistants and to the sheriff’s lump-sum fee officials budget for calendar year 2023.
On public-safety grants, the court authorized filing Resolution #38-2023 to apply to the National Police Association Equipment and Training Grant Program and Resolution #39-2023 to apply to the Spirit of Blue Foundation Safety Equipment Grant for the Franklin County Sheriff’s Department. The court also approved Resolution #40-2023 to apply for a FEMA Building Resilient Infrastructure and Communities (BRIC) grant related to Slickway Branch. All three grant-authorizing resolutions passed on recorded motions with affirmative votes from Squires Sebastian, Blackburn, Dycus, Tracy, Tanner, Whisman and Judge Mueller.
The court approved an amendment to the Franklin County Fire Department’s Standard Operating Procedure governing the employee hiring process and gave second-reading approval to Ordinance #12-2023, which amends Chapter 31 (Officials and Organizations), Section .01 (Firefighter Qualifications) of the Franklin County Code of Ordinances to change hiring and fitness requirements for firefighters. That ordinance passed on a recorded vote with no opposition.
On land-use matters, the court approved two zoning ordinance second readings. Ordinance #13-2023 rezoned a 4.995-acre tract (PVA Map #087-00-00-032.08) from General Industrial (IG) to General Commercial (CG); Squire Eric Whisman voted in opposition while the remaining members voted in favor and the ordinance passed. Ordinance #14-2023 rezoned a 5.518-acre tract (lots 5–7; PVA Map numbers #086-00-00-028.13, #086-00-00-028.00 and #086-00-00-028.11) from Planned Commercial (PC) to Rural High Density Multifamily (RH); that ordinance also passed with Squire Whisman voting no. A separate proposed rezoning of a 25.45-acre tract at 827 Cardwell Lane (PVA Map #036-00-00-012.00) from Rural Residential B (RB) to Rural High Density Multifamily (RH) was tabled for second reading; the court set a public hearing on that proposal for Nov. 17 at 2:00 p.m.
The court received the Treasurer’s quarterly report for three months ending Sept. 30, 2023, and the Treasurer’s Report, and it ordered bills to be paid after no motion was offered to deny a claim.
By unanimous vote, the court authorized entry into a closed session under KRS 61.810(1)(c) and (f) to discuss proposed or pending litigation and matters that might lead to the appointment of an individual employee. After returning to open session, the court authorized hiring Marianne Cataldi as a full-time administrative assistant in Planning and Zoning.
The meeting concluded with a motion to adjourn; the court adjourned at 6:53 p.m.
Officials and attendees identified in the meeting record include Judge Michael Mueller (County Judge/Executive); Squires Sherry Sebastian, J.W. Blackburn, Kelly Dycus, Scotty Tracy, Richard Tanner and Eric Whisman; County Attorney Max Comley; and Fiscal Court Clerk Kim Cox. The text of ordinances and resolutions referenced (Ordinance #12-2023; Ordinance #13-2023; Ordinance #14-2023; Resolutions #38-2023, #39-2023 and #40-2023) and the scheduled public hearing on Nov. 17 are recorded in the court’s minutes.
Votes at a glance: approval of minutes and reports (unanimous); HMC Service Company agreement (unanimous); sheriff budget amendments (unanimous); Resolutions #38–40 (unanimous); Ordinance #12-2023 (unanimous); Ordinance #13-2023 (passed, Whisman opposed); Ordinance #14-2023 (passed, Whisman opposed); Cardwell Lane rezoning tabled and hearing set for Nov. 17; Marianne Cataldi hired (unanimous).
