Meeting of July 16, 2026
Grayson County Fiscal Court Meeting 07.16.2026 · Watch on YouTube ↗
Summary
The Grayson County Fiscal Court opened with an invocation and the Pledge of Allegiance before working through a long list of routine financial and administrative approvals, including the minutes, payment of bills, treasurer's budget transfers and settlements (monthly, quarterly, and annual), the small purchase maximum update required by House Bill 392, several KYTC road/bridge resurfacing and repair agreements (JD Hudson, Pine Knob, Laurel Grove, and Sadler Lane roads, plus the Pleasant View Bridge), lease renewals with the East Grayson (Big Clifty) fire department/community center and Central Kentucky Community Action Council, the courthouse janitorial contract, the EMS contract, and a series of jailer and sheriff budget, settlement, and tax approvals. All of these passed with little discussion.
A major portion of the meeting was devoted to opening and comparing sealed bids for a new farmers market building. Two bids were reviewed in detail — one from Todd Steel Buildings (~$175,483) and one from Scott Murphy & Daniel Building Systems out of Bowling Green (~$187,249) — with magistrates carefully comparing specifications (gauge, insulation, wall panels) to make sure the bids were truly comparable. After discussion confirming the specs were essentially equivalent, the court voted to award the contract to Todd Steel Buildings for $175,483.34, with one magistrate voting against.
In new business, the court approved additional bills submitted late, approved accepting Canebrake's bid for crushed stone (No. 610 rock) after confirming with auditors that the county could split stone purchases between vendors, and voted to move the September meeting to Thursday, September 10th at the usual time due to a scheduling conflict.
During public comment, two residents raised concerns about the county's financial relationship with the Grayson County Detention Center's ICE detention contract. One speaker argued that for-profit immigrant detention amounts to human trafficking and urged the court to reconsider participation. Another speaker, who has been pursuing open records requests about the jail's ICE-related finances, criticized a $101 fee charged for records, cited pending federal habeas cases tied to detainees held locally, and asked the court to require full public accounting of detention-related revenue and to begin ending the ICE detention contract. A magistrate noted difficulty getting responses to an open records request submitted to the county's listed contact.
The meeting closed with no further old or new business reported by magistrates and a motion to adjourn.
Agenda (10)
- 2:39
Invocation and Pledge of Allegiance
A local pastor offered an opening prayer referencing the biblical figure Jabez, followed by the Pledge of Allegiance.
- 2:54
Routine financial and administrative approvals
The court approved a long series of routine items: minutes, bills, budget transfers, treasurer's monthly/quarterly/annual settlements, the small purchase maximum update under House Bill 392, several KYTC road and bridge resurfacing/repair agreements, lease renewals with the East Grayson fire department and Central Kentucky Community Action Council, the courthouse janitorial contract, the EMS contract, and jailer and sheriff settlements and tax approvals.
- 7:35
Farmers market building sealed bids
The court opened and compared two sealed bids for a new farmers market building, from Todd Steel Buildings and from Scott Murphy & Daniel Building Systems, examining specs like gauge, insulation, and panel type before voting to award the contract to Todd Steel Buildings.
- 14:47
Fiscal court committee report and late bills
The fiscal court committee reported nothing new, and the court approved additional bills that had been submitted late.
- 15:23
Road department crushed stone bid
The road department needed No. 610 rock that Scotty's could not supply, so after confirming with auditors that stone purchases could be split between vendors, the court approved accepting Canebrake's bid for 610 crushed stone at $18 per ton plus delivery fees.
- 16:53
September meeting date change
Because a magistrate will be out of town, the court voted to move the September meeting to Thursday, September 10th at the usual time.
- 19:24
Old and new business round
Magistrates were each asked for old or new business; none had anything additional to report.
- 19:43
Public comment on ICE detention contract
Two residents spoke against the county's financial reliance on housing ICE detainees at the Grayson County Detention Center, calling for transparency, full accounting of detention-related funds, and an end to the ICE contract.
- 25:22
Open records request follow-up
A magistrate raised an unresolved open records request, noting difficulty reaching the county office by email, and said staff would follow up.
- 26:23
Adjournment
With no further business, the court voted to adjourn the meeting.
Motions & votes (24)
- 2:54
passedApprove minutes from the previous meeting
Moved by Darren · seconded by Brenda · unanimous
- 3:06
passedApprove payment of bills
Moved by Brian · seconded by Neil · unanimous
- 3:16
passedApprove treasurer's budget transfers as presented
Moved by Darren · seconded by Brenda · unanimous
- 3:26
passedApprove the treasurer's monthly settlement
Moved by Neil · seconded by Brian · unanimous
- 3:36
passedApprove the treasurer's quarterly settlement
Moved by Ben · seconded by Darren · unanimous
- 3:46
passedApprove treasurer's annual settlement 7/1/25 to 6/30/26
Moved by Brian · seconded by Jason · unanimous
- 4:04
passedApprove setting the small purchase maximum to $60,000 as outlined in House Bill 392
Moved by Brian · seconded by Darren · unanimous
- 4:33
passedApprove agreement/resolution with KYTC for resurfacing of JD Hudson Road, Pine Knob Road, Laurel Grove Road, and Sadler Lane using LARP zone funds
Moved by Darren · seconded by Brian · unanimous
- 4:47
passedApprove agreement/resolution with KYTC for repair or replacement of Pleasant View Bridge
Moved by Darren · seconded by Neil · unanimous
- 5:19
passedApprove lease agreement with East Grayson County Fire Department (Big Clifty Community Center)
Moved by Brian · seconded by Jason · unanimous
- 5:34
passedApprove lease agreement with Central Kentucky Community Action Council
Moved by Brenda · seconded by Neil · unanimous
- 5:43
passedApprove janitorial contract with Twins Cleaning for the courthouse
Moved by Darren · seconded by Brian · unanimous
- 5:55
passedApprove EMS contract with Kevin Ferris
Moved by Brian · seconded by Neil · unanimous
- 6:04
passedApprove jailer's budget transfers
Moved by Brenda · seconded by Ben · unanimous
- 6:14
passedApprove jailer's payment of bills
Moved by Neil · seconded by Jason · unanimous
- 6:24
passedApprove the sheriff's monthly settlement
Moved by Darren · seconded by Brian · unanimous
- 6:39
passedApprove the sheriff's 2026 quarterly budget
Moved by Ben · seconded by Neil · unanimous
- 7:05
passedApprove the sheriff's 2025 tax settlements for property, franchise, minerals, and fire districts
Moved by Brian · seconded by Brenda · unanimous
- 7:20
passedApprove the sheriff's 2025 state tax settlement
Moved by Darren · seconded by Ben · unanimous
- 14:57
passedApprove additional bills submitted late
Moved by Brenda · seconded by Darren · unanimous
- 16:37
passedApprove accepting Canebrake's crushed stone bid for No. 610 rock at $18 per ton plus delivery fees
Moved by Darren · seconded by Ben · unanimous
- 17:18
passedApprove changing the September meeting to Thursday, September 10th at the same time
Moved by Jason · seconded by Brent · unanimous
- 19:10
passedApprove awarding the farmers market building contract to Todd Steel Buildings for $175,483.34
Moved by Ben · seconded by Brian · one magistrate opposed
- 26:23
passedMotion to adjourn the meeting
Transcript (21 segments)
- 0:10
[music] [music] [music] [music] [music] — Get a start of police. I was reading. I looked up here verse in the Bible. I didn't come to preach. But I read the verse about a man with the name of Jabez. I didn't
- 1:24
have no scripture. I guess I don't remember ever reading it. And everybody said he was a top notch guy. And the parents rated him really high and he said he's no no more more special than Jabez. In the chronicle before you might look at it see if you can find Jabez in there. And that's an uncommon name. But I didn't come here to talk about Jabez. I come to ask the prayer for us all for you all in this meeting and we're so proud of the leadership that we have here in the county and talked a little bit Jeremy here, too. — All right. — [laughter] — Let's bow together. Lord, we come to you tonight to just ask you for the assistance that I know you want to give as that — [clears throat] — folks of the council take up the business that needs to be done. We thank you, Lord, for the leadership that we have here in the county and I know you're a big part of that. We know there are people that has the credentials of a good person and you will guide them on the path that they need to walk and help them in the decisions they need to make. Guide them again tonight, Lord, as they attempt to lead our beautiful place to live. In your holy name, Lord, we pray.
- 2:37
Amen. — [clears throat] — I pledge allegiance to the flag of the United States of America and to the republic for which it stands, one nation under God, indivisible, with liberty and justice for all. — All right, call the meeting to order. First thing on the agenda is to approve the minutes from the previous meeting. — Motion. — Motion by Darren, second by Brenda, all in favor. — Aye. — Next, we got to approve payment of bills. — Motion. — Motion by Brian, second by Neil, all in favor. — Aye. — Uh next, we got to approve treasurer's budget transfers as presented. — Motion. — Motion by Darren, second by Brenda, all in favor. — Aye. — Next, we got to approve the treasurer's monthly settlement. — Make a motion. — Motion by Neil. — Second. — Second by Brian, all in favor. — Aye. — And then we need to approve the treasurer's quarterly settlement. — Motion. — Motion by Ben, second second by Darren, all in favor. — Aye. — Next, we have approved treasurer's annual settlement 7 1 25 to 6 30 of 26. — Motion.
- 3:51
— Second. Motion by Brian, second by Jason. All in favor? — Then we need to approve to set the small purchase maximum to 60 as outlined in House Bill 392. Need to go ahead and update that. — Motion. — Motion by Brian, second by Darren. All in favor? Then we need to approve the agreement resolution with the Kentucky Highway Transportation Cabinet for the resurfacing of JD Hudson Road, Pine Knob Road, Laurel Grove Road, and Sadler Lane from the new Larp funds. That which that was discretionary last year, so now it's called Larp zone. Need to approve that. Motion Motion by Darren, second by Brian. All in favor? Then we need to approve the agreement and resolution with the Kentucky Highway Transportation Cabinet for the repair or replacement of Pleasant View Bridge. — Motion. — Motion by Darren, second by Neil. All in favor? All right. Then we need to approve the lease agreement with the East Grayson County Fire Department. Which that is the uh What's the name? The
- 5:04
the building the — Big Clifty — Uh — Yes. — Yeah, it's the Big Clifty Community Center. There you go. That's what I'm looking at. So that's what that that's what that building is. So I just need to approve the lease agreement. We do that every year. — Motion. — Second. — Motion by Brian, second by Jason. All in favor? Next we need to approve the lease agreement with Central Kentucky Community Action Council. Need to reapprove that lease. — Motion. — Motion by Brenda. — Second. — [snorts] — Second by Neil. All in favor? Then we need to approve the janitorial contract with Twin's Cleaning over at the courthouse. — Motion. — Motion. Who was that? Motion by Darren, second by Brian, all in favor? Then we need to approve the EMS contract with Kevin Ferris. — Motion. — Motion by Brian, second by Neil, all in favor? Then we need to approve jailers budget transfers. — Motion. — Motion by Brenda. Second. — Second. — Second by Ben, all in favor? Then I need to have you approve the jailers payment of bills. — I'll make motion to second.
- 6:17
— Motion by Neil, second by Jason. All in favor? Then we go to approving the sheriff's monthly settlement. — Motion. — Motion by Darren. — Second. — Second by Brian, all in favor? Then we need to approve the sheriff's 2026 quarterly budget. — Motion. — Motion by Ben. — Second. — Second by Neil, is that you? Second by Neil, all in favor? Then we need to approve the sheriff's 2025 tax settlements for property, franchise, minerals, and fire districts. Need to approve that. — Motion. — Motion by Brian, second by Brenda, all in favor? Then we need to approve the sheriff's 2025 state tax settlement. — Motion. — Motion by Darren, second by Ben, all in favor? Then we need to open sealed bids for the new farmers market building. Angel has those. — [snorts] [snorts] — All right.
- 7:45
This is for It's going to take a minute. — Yeah, sorry. — [clears throat] [clears throat] — All right, this is uh This is for building package only. This is no labor. And that's the way I think what we get two. — Two buildings. — Both of them should be the same way on the buildings. It's got the plan specs on here. — Does that state foundation? — No, this is just the building package. — All right, it's just the package. Okay.
- 9:09
— You You all want to just pass it around. You all want it is. — [cough] — And this is from Todd Steel Buildings. This is for width 65 by length 150. Uh It's got the roof load on here, the snow load. Does it say it is. It's It's red iron Let's decide what the roof load is, snow load or Yeah, the roof load is 20, snow load 11.6, wind speed 120. Uh wind code KBC 18 building category type type three So, 4 12 pitch. So. Then that back side eave height 12 by 10. I just want to make sure when we open this other one up that it's the it's the exact same. Cuz I mean they they got the specs of