Meeting of March 11, 2025
3-11-25 Ohio County Fiscal Court Meeting · Watch on YouTube ↗
Summary
Ohio County Fiscal Court – March 11, 2025
The court handled routine business first, approving bills and claims, the prior meeting's minutes, and acknowledging the Treasurer's and Clerk's February 2025 reports. It also voted to close out the county's ARPA bank account now that those funds have been shifted into the ARCH program, after some discussion about how a prior resolution amendment reallocated $106,000 and $20,000 toward My Father's House and the regional business park.
The court accepted the only bid received for a new sheriff's vehicle (a 2024 Dodge Durango from a Jeffersonville, IN dealer) and approved a $40,000 engineering contract with AI for the Street Bridge project, which is expected to bring in $355,000 in state funding for the county's last remaining wood bridge. A subordination agreement allowing Western Kentucky Whiskey Company to refinance its loan (with the county remaining in second position) passed 4-1, with Magistrate Morphew opposed on principle regarding second mortgages.
Much of the meeting was devoted to the recent water outage crisis. Magistrates thanked the water department, fire departments, the Wellness Center, senior center, and many private citizens and businesses who helped haul water and open showers during the multi-day outage. The court voted to reimburse the Ohio County Wellness Center $1,000 for water and cleaning costs, and indicated it would look into reimbursing the Fordsville Fire Department and other citizens who spent their own money helping neighbors.
The court also recognized the Ohio County Skills Club, heading to state competition, and helped expedite payment for targets for the county's archery club ahead of a national-level event. Citizens raised concerns about a timber company failing to restore a county road as required by its bond, and several residents reiterated strong opposition to a proposed solar farm, disputing the county's estimated economic benefit figures.
The meeting closed with two closed sessions — one on litigation (no action taken) and one on personnel matters related to hiring for the Treasurer position, with a special called meeting set for Thursday to potentially act on that hire.
Agenda (18)
- 1:24
Bills, claims, payments and transfers
The court approved payment of bills, claims, and related fund transfers.
- 1:54
Approval of minutes
Minutes from the previous meeting were approved.
- 2:03
Treasurer's February 2025 financial statement
The court acknowledged receipt of the Treasurer's February 2025 financial statement.
- 2:27
Clerk's February 2025 report
The court acknowledged receipt of the County Clerk's February 2025 report.
- 2:46
Closing the ARPA bank account
With ARPA funds now transferred to the ARCH program, the court discussed and voted to close the now-zero-balance ARPA bank account, after clarifying that a prior resolution amendment had reallocated $106,000 and $20,000 to other projects.
- 6:36
Ohio County Hospital annual hazardous waste report
The court acknowledged receipt of the hospital's annual hazardous waste report, which is kept on file with the EMA office.
- 8:22
Sheriff's vehicle bid opening
Only one bid was received for a new sheriff's vehicle, a 2024 Dodge Durango from Bachman Chrysler Dodge Jeep Ram in Jeffersonville, Indiana.
- 10:13
Street Bridge project engineering contract
The court approved a $40,000 contract with AI to handle final bridge plans and bid documents for the Street Bridge project, part of the county's $59,000 share of a project expected to bring in $355,000 in state funds.
- 13:19
Subordination agreement with Western Kentucky Whiskey Company
The court authorized Judge Johnson to execute a subordination agreement allowing the whiskey company to refinance its loan while the county remains in second mortgage position.
- 15:28
Personnel hire at the park department
The court approved the part-time hire of CJ Henderson at the park department at $13.99/hour, up to 22 hours, effective March 9, 2025.
- 16:16
Closed session for litigation
The court went into closed session for litigation purposes; no action was taken upon returning.
- 17:21
Committee reports
No committee reports were given.
- 17:26
Magistrates and county official comments on water outage
Magistrates thanked the water department, fire departments, Wellness Center, senior center, and community members who helped during the recent multi-day water outage, and discussed reimbursing several parties for costs incurred.
- 26:16
Recognition of Ohio County Skills Club
The court recognized students heading to the state skills competition in carpentry, welding, and electrical trades.
- 28:27
Citizens comments
Citizens raised concerns about a road damaged by a timber-hauling company that was bonded to restore it, and about the archery club needing funding for targets.
- 33:31
Ohio County Archery Club funding request
A representative described the growing archery club's success and requested help paying for outdoor targets, which the court had already arranged to cover via bills and claims.
- 37:22
Citizen opposition to proposed solar farm
Residents reiterated opposition to a proposed solar farm, disputing the county's estimated economic benefit and urging the court to seek vacation of the MOU with the solar company.
- 41:51
Closed session for personnel
The court went into a closed session regarding a personnel matter related to the Treasurer position, with a special called meeting planned for Thursday if a decision was reached.
Motions & votes (13)
- 1:24
passedAccept bills, claims, payments and transfers
unanimous
- 1:54
passedApprove minutes from the last meeting
seconded by Michael McKenna · unanimous
- 2:16
passedAcknowledge receipt of Treasurer's February 2025 financial statement
Moved by Bo Bennett · seconded by Del Beeson
- 2:35
passedAcknowledge receipt of Clerk's February 2025 report
Moved by Bo Bennett · seconded by Michael McKenna
- 6:25
passedClose the ARPA bank account
seconded by Bo Bennett
- 7:19
passedAccept the hospital's annual hazardous waste report
seconded by Larry Morphew
- 9:59
passedAccept the sole bid received for a new sheriff's vehicle
Moved by Larry Morphew · seconded by Bo Bennett
- 12:33
passedAccept AI's contract for the Street Bridge project
Moved by Larry Morphew · seconded by Del Beeson · unanimous roll call: Bennett, Bullock, Beeson, Morphew, McKenna all yes
- 14:44
passedAuthorize Judge Johnson to execute the subordination agreement with Western Kentucky Whiskey Company
Moved by Bo Bennett · seconded by Michael McKenna · 4-1, Magistrate Morphew opposed
- 15:28
passedApprove the part-time hire of CJ Henderson at the park department
unanimous roll call vote
- 16:45
passedGo into closed session for litigation purposes
- 20:52
passedProvide $1,000 in program support to the Ohio County Wellness Center for water/cleaning costs during the outage
Moved by Jason Bullock · seconded by Bo Bennett · unanimous
- 41:56
passedGo into closed session for a personnel matter (Treasurer position)
Transcript (34 segments)
- 0:01
[Music] all right you guys would stand we're going to do the pledge and the uh prayer real quick I let's go ahead and do the prayer dear Lord we just thank you so much for the day we have beautiful weather dear Lord we just ask that you be with us um dear Lord we just uh we ask that you continue to be with our water department as they've been working hard to uh repair and and get the much needed repairs done for our people in the county so they can get water again we thank you for the on there Lord and the time they spent um we also ask that you be with uh people in our community that have lost loved ones there Lord and certain families have lost uh several loved ones we just ask you be with them the Allan family and anybody else that's lost someone uh we ask that you be with us tonight at this meeting therefore that everything we do will be better for this County and we just thank you for the blessings you've given us in your life name we pray amen amen I pledge alance to the flag of the United States of America and to the it stands one nation God indivisible with
- 1:15
liy for for all okay do I have a motion for the accept the bills and claims payments and transfers I'll make a motion to accept bills and claims of payments and transfers all righty Michael second second by B right all in favor say I I I uh I skipped over the minutes so let's let do the minutes same thing for minutes uh I have a motion to approve the minutes from last meeting motion motion by both second second by Michael all in favor say I I those oppose all right um we have the treasur February 25 fin financial statement we just need an acknowledgement if somebody acknowledge we re receive that acknowledge we receive all right acknowledgement by Bo minut second by Del be okay I think we to have a v on that okay uh let's also we need to acknowledge the clerk's February 2025
- 2:30
report I need an acknowledgement on that please ackowledge we receive okay acknowledge by Bo Bennett second second by Michael McKenna all right thank you for acknowledging those all righty so um number six says we need to close the a RPA bank account and do you want to say something on that uh that's just where everything has now been transferred over uh to the arch fund and and that arpa bank account is at zero and we need to close it what will be zero the arpa fund it is zero all the money's been moved when are we going to correct the 106,000 and a 20,000 that we took out of the that would be a question for Arch program that would be a question for the court to answer well last meeting we amended the the uh resolution that was the resolution to add the paradise money and we added to $20,000 for the uh my father's house we didn't say where
- 3:44
where's it going to come from it's coming from the money that was in that resolution we just moved the money around arpa I mean the arch program will not have as much of the money my understanding and the 100 and whatever that was for paradise and the $20,000 will come from um all within that money and we voted to uh we amended the resolution just like we amend resolutions and ordinance and budgets every day thought we was going to take it out of the general fund $106,000 I don't know what the meeting but we last meeting we amended to take it out of the uh the resolution I don't have the resolution number anybody else have anything say on that I mean did we vote on taking that I mean yes we voted on changing that resolution to reflect those changes it should be2 okay it's not in the minutes that we voted on resolution well you amended it I have to go back and fix those from the previous from the previous one it's got
- 4:55
a noted here voted now okay here it is on X on page says 53 yeah have page 53 uh amend resolutions 2425 arpa funds it says the approved to amend resolution 24 25 arpa funds with $20,000 to my father's house $16,000 165 to Regional Business Park all remaining unobligated funds as of April 23rd 2024 will be obligated to the arch program passed with a motion by Jason Bullock and seconded by Michael mckenny where is I don't see third page page 53 page 53 well no the third it's the third page in the packet it says 53 on the top it'd be the third vote we ever get thetion there toose I
- 6:23
make a motion that we close the arpa account S motion by Michael second by both all in favor say I those oppose okay number seven is the Ohio County hospit Hospital annual hazardous waste report my understanding I talked to uh David and Charlie a little bit about this today they do this annually Charlie has we just have to acknowledge that we receive it from the hospital he keeps it in his office on file records if you ever want to see and so I guess we have to have a vote that uh we received uh the annual hazardous was report and it'll be on file in Charlie's office he has all the previous years also too I need a motion for the accept the waste report that's not in our packet in his office it's right here it comes after a minute yeah after yeah see motion will received I see it here it's U right
- 7:36
after okay and we do this we do this annual my understanding and like I said if you ever need the file I don't know why we receive them but the hospital gives us a report and Charlie just keeps it on filed in the EMA office I need a second a second second by Larry morphy all righty those in favor I those oppos all right passes um Sheriff's bid opening for vehicle we only have one yep we only received one bid s paper they put it in the paper then it was sent to them they kind of went through them and they're getting us what they want you all have a copy of it in your
- 8:52
packet back uh right after the okay so this is just a vid for the truck it's not not the uh no just B okay the B for the truck and they'll have the I guess lights and stickers or whatever they put on it it'll be on another part of it cuz I think total is going to be like around 58 59 maybe or something like that what is it uh but this is a 24 Durango uh the bid is $ 44,8 it is a 5.7 L V8 himing and uh all will drive it from and it is from Bachman Chevrolet excuse me B Bachman Chrysler Dodge Jeep and RAM um Jeffersonville Indiana Jeffersonville Indiana this is the only bid we got we need a motion to we need a motion to accept motion by Larry Mor second by Bo Bennett there's the