The Boyle County Fiscal Court discussed entering into an interlocal agreement with Danville to form an Economic Development Authority during its regular meeting last week.

County Attorney Chris Herron said City Attorney Stephen Dexter had given him a draft of the agreement explaining how the city and county would work together to purchase land and develop it as an economic incentive for a prospective industry or commercial endeavor. However, there were several “wording” changes that the city was going to make before another draft would be sent to the county to review, Herron said.

Magistrate Jamey Gay said, “We’re in a global competition. We’re not only competing against Bardstown, Elizabethtown, and Lebanon, and other communities in Kentucky. We’re competing against Japan, Germany, Vietnam, China, and Mexico.”

He added, “It’s costly to get into this business, in this form and fashion. … The other communities that we’re talking about are investing and spending millions of dollars. Do we need to do that? Possibly. But I just want us to be eyes wide open.”

Magistrate Jason Cullen said, “All the more reason, when we get to budget sessions, we be careful about where we spend our money or who we give our money away to. As I’ve said before … the EDP (Economic Development Partnership) that we have, it’s been underfunded because we haven’t seen the positives that we would want to see out of it. … If it was more a successful partnership, then we really wouldn’t have to have this conversation, but we’re having it because it’s a necessity.”

After further discussion and debate about forming an EDA, Judge-Executive Howard Hunt the city was going to make some more changes to the agreement draft, and the county wanted to make a few changes of its own. However, “We don’t have those changes, so we’re talking to air right now because you haven’t had the opportunity to review the revisions.”

He also suggested that the court and city commission have a joint meeting to discuss the EDA.

In other business:
• County Administrator Julie Wagner presented the court with the fourth revision of its kennel regulation ordinance that was first passed in 2016, but didn’t include the processes for implementation of policies.

The revisions included that kennels must pass an annual inspection and obtain a $100 business license each year.

She also gave the court a sample form that members of the public could download and submit a complaint against a kennel.

However, once again she said the court needed to decide on and give her direction on the “noise nuisance” aspect of the ordinance. She said the ordinance has “significantly improved the 2016 ordinance, except for the noise nuisance.” Wagner said,

“What do you all want?”

After more debate, yet no decision made, Hunt said to let the public know, “We’re working on it.”

Wagner also received the court’s approval to advertise for bid proposals for Boyle County’s 10-year cable television franchise.

• Casey Smith with the Kentucky Transportation Department told the court what rural secondary roads have been approved resurfacing this fiscal year. They are more than two miles on Stewart’s Lane and nearly two miles on Gentry Lane for an estimated cost of $315,000.

Recommended resurfacing projects for fiscal year 2022 are 1.8 miles of Gentry Lane and two miles on Brumfield Road.

Smith also said the Chaplin River Bridge project in Perryville will happen this year, and construction won’t interfere with the annual Battle of Perryville event in October.

• Director of Solid Waste Angie Muncy presented the 2020 litter abatement and solid waste annual reports.

Muncy said the county’s solid waste department collected 89 tons of aluminum; 786 tons of cardboard; 11 tons of electronic scrap; 21.4 tons of glass; 170 lead-acid batteries; 9,600 tons of ferrous metal; 320 tons of non-ferrous metal; 10 tons of newsprint; 15 tons of mixed residential paper; 76 tons of white office paper; 31 tons of plastic soft drink bottles; 8 tons of milk jugs; 62.1 tons of other medical waste and 50 tons of cooking oil.

The litter abatement program collected four tons from the street sweeper; 10 mattresses; two truckloads of trash; and 16 pieces of furniture.

• Boyle County Sheriff Derek Robbins presented the fiscal court with a check for $3,204.56 in excess fees his office collected. He also requested and received approval for issue reimbursement for the department’s new body and dash cameras.