Fiscal Court OKs conditional $4,000 to get heat working at fairgrounds building for youth basketball
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Summary
The court approved up to $4,000 to run gas lines and enable furnaces at the fairgrounds building so the county can host youth basketball while school facilities are under construction, contingent on Fair Board agreement.
Spencer County Fiscal Court voted Oct. 6 to authorize up to $4,000 to connect gas and enable the furnaces at the fairgrounds building so it can host the Parks-and-Recreation youth basketball program while Spencer County Elementary is under construction.
Judge Executive Scott Travis described the facility as county-owned but Fair Board-managed and said furnaces were installed but not hooked up. He presented a written quote from Martin Heating & AC that estimated $4,000 to run gas lines and check operation of five furnaces. Magistrate Cotton moved to proceed with the work, conditioned on the Fair Board agreeing to allow the county to use the facility; the motion passed with Pharris absent and Eldridge voting no.
The judge and court members discussed whether the county or the Fair Board would bear ongoing costs and stressed the potential for broader community use if the Fair Board allows multiuse. The judge also asked his co-op student, Jincey Melvin, how many sports teams used the school facilities; she replied "a lot," underscoring the local demand for practice space.
Why it matters: The decision repurposes an existing county asset to accommodate displaced youth sports and may reduce program interruptions during school construction. The $4,000 expenditure is modest but requires Fair Board consent and some additional ongoing operating costs (propane, water, floor mats and small baskets were listed as needs).
Next steps: County staff will proceed with the heating-line work if the Fair Board grants access; the court instructed staff to confirm arrangements and report back on facility scheduling and cost-sharing.