Spencer County Fiscal Court approves payments tied to Elder Construction invoice after court questions concrete charges

Spencer County Judge Executive Scott Travis and the Fiscal Court on April 14 approved payments tied to Elder Construction Invoice #8 for the Taylorsville Farmer’s Market & Pavilion project after members pressed the contractor about a concrete charge and related billing entries.

The court voted to pay $110,008.27 for work on Invoice #8 — excluding a $291,000 charge for a pre‑engineered metal building — and separately approved wiring the $291,000 balance so ACI Buildings would be paid in full. Both motions passed by voice vote; each was opposed by Esq. Cotton while the other members voted "aye." The total paid figure recorded on the invoice paperwork was $401,008.27 after retainage was withheld.

Why it matters: The invoice represents a substantial payment of county funds for a high-profile pavilion and market project in Spencer County. Court members sought clarification about specific line items before approving transfers to the contractor and the building vendor.

Esq. Eldridge questioned whether a $33,795.28 line labeled "Building Concrete" represented wall concrete, asking visiting contractors to explain the work billed. Mike Bary of Bary Construction, who said he served as the site contractor and was also overseeing the job for Elder Construction, said the "only concrete that had been poured on site was the footers and foundation." Bary also disputed how a $7,500 charge was listed; he told the court he had billed $7,500 for rebar, and court members noted the $7,500 entry appeared under a different division on the invoice.

The invoice supplied to the court lists a subtotal of $406,795.28, retainage withheld of $5,787.01 and a total of $401,008.27. The pre‑engineered metal building is listed separately at $291,000, with an additional $15,000 for staging and a $57,000 allowance for footer remediation.

Judge Travis said the $291,000 balance would be wired to Elder Construction so the vendor ACI Buildings would receive payment and the two pre‑engineered structures would be paid in full. The court also discussed logistics and timing for shipment of the buildings.

Contractor Mike Bary said he had excavated test holes beneath building #2 and found one hole that would require remediation, but not to the same extent as the remediation under building #1. Christopher Elder had provided soil test results to the court via email, and the court discussed imported clay and drilling additional test holes; no separate action on remediation was taken at the meeting.

The court returned from an executive session held under KRS 61.810 and recorded that no decisions were made during that session. The meeting adjourned at 10:50 a.m.