County Leaders Set Tax Rates

Members of Meade County Fiscal Court set tax rates during their regular monthly meeting Tuesday (8/13) evening.

Magistrates had already reviewed and discussed the rates during a previous special called meeting on August 1. They voted a slight decrease on Real Property tax at a rate of 21.40 cents per $100 of accessed value for the 2024 tax year. The current rate was at 21.60 cents per $100 of accessed value. Magistrates approved a rate for personal property at 29.75 cents per $100 of accessed value which a slight decrease from the current rate of 30.03 cents per $100 of accessed value. The court approved keeping the Merchant’s Inventory tax at the same rate of 19 cents per $100 of valuation and motor vehicle and water craft tax rates remained the same at 13.40 cents per $100 of valuation.

The court approved the Meade County Sheriff’s settlement audits for 2022 Mineral Tax; 2023 Franchise County Tax; 2023 Franchise Fire Department Tax; 2023 Real Estate Fire Department; and 2023 Real Estate and Minerals. Sheriff Phillip Wimpee said that all of the audits resulted in minimum totals within the state’s adjustment margin of error.

Fiscal Court voted approving a funding request made by the Meade County Sheriff’s Office to purchase a TruNarc handheld narcotics analyzer. The handheld device will allow deputies to determine the type of drugs that they and EMS personnel come in contact with during investigations. The device is supposed to determine over 500 different styles of drugs. Sheriff Wimpee said the device could help protect officer safety plus enhance treatment response of EMS to victims who come in contact with unknown drugs. The county will purchase the device with Opioid funding in the amount of $31,092.

Magistrates approved the purchase of six new Print on Demand ballot printers for the County Clerk to be used during elections. County Clerk Susan Masterson said the purchase would provide a printer in each precinct around the county. The court also approved a resolution to apply for $8,000 of Help America Vote Act Election Security grant to be used for collapsible voting booths. They also approved a resolution related to the use of ARPA funds to pay for groundwork at the project site of the new animal shelter and road department buildings.

The court approved accepting Diamond Court into the county road maintenance system. The road has passed final inspection to meet county standards after improvements were made to the road. Magistrates approved he second reading of a zoning map amendment from R-1 to B-2 for property owned by John Warren on Flaherty Road. Magistrates gave correction to Planning and Zoning after review of the complaint case list at Planning and Zoning. Guy Garcia explained that the Planning and Zoning office was open by appointment only on Fridays to review and work on the situation and review issues. Several magistrates commented in regards to wording of the complaints and lack of specific details.

Fiscal Court approved the appointment of Charlie Allgeier to the Code Enforcement Board and the reappointment of Carol Brown to the Library Board of Trustees. It was reported to court members that Smith Engineering had met the criteria for the survey work at the Solid Waste and Recycling Center at a price that was not needed to seek a bid for.

Judge Executive Troy Kok said that county leaders will revive townhall meetings to different parts of the county. He said the first townhall will be held on September 10 in Muldraugh at 6 pm with the regular Fiscal Court to start at 7 pm. A location has yet to be determined and will be announced in the before the meeting date.

You can watch the entire regular meeting of the Meade County Fiscal Court in our “On Demand” section.