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\nMeade County Fiscal Court met during a special called meeting Tuesday (10\/1) to discuss several business items.<\/p>\n
\nMeade County Fiscal Court met during a special called meeting Tuesday (10\/1) to discuss several business items.<\/p>\n
The court discussed the two expired terms on the Riverport Authority. Judge Executive Gerry Lynn asked the Fiscal Court’s approval to appoint Bill Corum to fill the expired term held by Nicholas Hardesty and Bryan Claycomb to fill the expired term of Don Bewley. Magistrates approved the request with a unanimous vote. Corum and Hardesty were sworn into their positions for the set four year terms.<\/p>\n
In other business, the court approved the hiring of Wende Gex as the Solid Waste and Recycling Coordinator and Judge Lynn administered the oath for the County Treasurer, who’s appointment is six months staggered into the new term of county government.<\/p>\n
Magistrates approved the purchase of a new Road Widener for the county Road Department at a cost of $56,287. The price was the lowest of two bids received and reviewed.<\/p>\n
At the end of the meeting Third District Magistrate Billy Sipes asked Judge Lynn if an update could be given to bring the farmers in attendance up to speed on the latest developments related to the relocation efforts of the Consolidated Grain and Barge facility due to the Nucor project.<\/p>\n
Industrial Authority Chairman David Pace said that the past several weeks have been spent working with CGB to find a new location for their facility within Meade County. Local leaders have shown about a dozen properties to CGB but so far none of the sites have found favor with company executives. Among the sites, was a ten acre area near the rock quarries near Battletown, which would place the facility down river about four miles, which already has barge and tug boat capability established and would allow to the company flexibility to design the facility better fit their needs.<\/p>\n
Talks remain ongoing but no decision has been made thus far by the company. Pace said that an agreement between Nucor and Consolidated Grain Barge has already been drafted with the intent for Nucor to purchase the current grain elevator facility to make way for the steel plating plant to be constructed on the tract of land and adjoining land for the new plant. Pace said that the other unresolved issue to find a four to five acres of land to move the Brandenburg Sewer Plant.<\/p>\n
After a half hour of question and answer session from the audience, the meeting of Fiscal Court was adjourned and a special called meeting of the Riverport Authority was held. The meeting was called to order and members nominated Brandon Fogle as Chairman to lead the business. The Authority members voted unanimously to terminate the lease agreement with Consolidated Grain and Barge, Meade County Industrial Authority, and Meade County Fiscal Court. This will allow the pending agreement between Nucor and Consolidated Grain and Barge to proceed forward. The process will also refund a $2 Million Kentucky Agriculture Development grant to the state once the transaction has been made.<\/p>\n
The Riverport Authority’s action also ends the exclusivity that Consolidated Grain and Barge has had on the Riverport project for many years which finally resulted in the grain facility being constructed. County leaders want to keep Consolidated Grain and Barge in the county but they are committed to preserving a grain facility through options if necessary. No time line has been provided of when operations at the current grain facility will end.<\/p>\n