By Deborah Lucas Angel

All members of the Oldham Fiscal Court were present at the April 16 meeting with agenda items including awarding a contract for Curry’s Fork Basin assessment design, county culvert replacements, first reading of the comprehensive solid waste management ordinance and a new position of range manager added to the police department, along with and update from county clerk’s office for voting in the May primary.

County Treasurer Pat Meador noted that quarter-end requires reporting of transfers to be approved by the court. The amount for this quarter was $437,914.81. The finance committee had been apprised and approved by voice vote. A motion was made and approved unanimously by the court.

County Clerk Amy Alvey discussed the May 21 primary, noting that the absentee ballot portal is open; the ballot boxes in Crestwood and Prospect are checked and verified; an election card will be mailed and include all voting options, locations and election day voting hours, 6 a.m. to 6 p.m.

She said there were some changes in election laws which she will share with the fiscal court when more information is available.

The registration deadline was 4 p.m. April 22 to vote in the primary.

Deputy Mike Meese of Oldham County Sheriff’s Office addressed the court concerning the April 27 semi-annual “drug take-back day.” The event is sponsored by a partnership between the Oldham County Sheriff’s Office, Oldham County Police Department and the DEA.

The event runs 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. and is intended to remove controlled substances from the public. The event will be held concurrently at three locations:

• La Grange Fire Station 2, 3637 West Highway 146 10

• Buckner Oldham County Police Dept. 1855 North Highway 393

• La Grange Kroger 2034 South Highway 53

Jim Allen, president of Crystal Lake HOA, thanked court for immediate response on the sinkhole repair. He also thank the court for the water quality improvement approval and will continue to help.

Oldham County Bicentennial Trail

David Bizianes of the Oldham County Chamber of Commerce and Development Office, presented the proposal of a collaborative effort between Oldham County Bicentennial Committee, the Oldham County History Center, Oldham County Parks and Recreation, Oldham County Planning Development and the Oldham County Chamber of Commerce to promote a “new idea or new approach to a new project.” The project concerns a “walking and multi-use trail that goes down Commerce Parkway and exists in multiple places throughout the county.” He said the group has come together to try to focus on a “quality of life feature in Oldham County” to bring awareness and to champion for a larger “big picture project.” They plan to request the fiscal court to consider memorializing the area as the “Oldham County Bicentennial Trail.” To do this, they plan an event the day before “Oldham County Day” at which time they plan a “5K, a 10K walk/run to bring some awareness to the project and show some of the features” of the project. The project goals are:

• Honor the 200 year history of Oldham County

• Connect Oldham County communities

• Encourage healthy lifestyles

• Celebrate Oldham County’s beauty

The project is a trail that begins near to La Grange Baptist Church, follows Commerce Parkway across 393, across Commerce Parkway extension, up Mattingly road onto old La Grange road, across Exit 17, where the pedestrian walkway was constructed into Crestwood, which will pass Yew Dell Gardens, the Kentucky Artisans Distillery and Third Turn Brewing and ultimately into Maples Park and beyond” making it approximately eight miles long. Although some of the path does not have sidewalks, they plan to address this in the future. Sauerbeck Family Drive-In is at the start of the walk/run. From there it travels down Commerce Parkway and then to cross the pedestrian bridge. At that point it will turn around and come back for the 10K. However, those choosing a 5K can catch a provided bus back to the beginning.

Sauerbeck Drive-In will have a movie and Downtown La Grange be having a dance. He said they want to extend “Oldham County Day” as well as provide a bit of nightlife for the Bicentennial Celebration.

He said in the future, they want to have a walkway across the entire area for safe traversing. He said the Committee will work to have “markers along the trail” for distance and possibly Oldham County History to also be provided using markers. He said the event will be on July 19 at 6 p.m. Online registration will go live the week of April 29 with a small fee attached. He said they are hoping a fiscal court member could do a proclamation.

Curry’s Fork Basin

County engineer Jim Silliman explained the 319(H) is a grant received from the Kentucky Division of Water to Oldham County Fiscal Court for the Curry’s Court Basin plan. Part of the plan was to address potential sedimentation of Crystal Lake. They requested proposals from three consultants for design of the basins. The scope of the design was to access two sites, once a location is selected, then the design of a sedimentation basin will be done. A smaller component of the design was to install a water quality component to an existing basin behind Oldham County Health Department. Activities are in association with that approved 319(H) Grant. He said they would need to proceed forward with scope in that grant, therefore were requesting approval of a proposal for $28,500 by RES Kentucky, LLC. Actual construction would be covered under a separate, future grant. Motion to approve and to have a contract to be signed by Voegele was approved and approved unanimously.

Culvert replacements

Silliman said Louisville Paving had replaced several culverts for under the original $300,000 set aside for road improvements. He said $157,746.00 is left in funds available. Apparently, another culvert on Carpenter Drive has edges of the road “cracking off” and the culvert needs replacing. The price to replace this is $46,520.00. He asked to add this culvert repair to the project via contract amendment. He said the total $204,255 including the Carpenter Drive repair is less than another bidder on the project original project and Louisville Paving is going a “good job.” With the leftover from the original amount, there are some smaller projects that Silliman is seeking bids to repair. Motion to approve was made and approved unanimously.

Environmental recycling and utilities

The court held a first reading for a comprehensive solid waste management ordinance.

According to Rebecca Zocklein, solid waste coordinator, this ordinance presents a complete overhaul of solid waste ordinances. It will condense four current ordinances into one, clear ordinance. She said the new, proposed ordinance is “in a logical fashion, easy to read, easy to find what it is you are looking for” especially the franchise and solid waste disposal ordinances.

As well it gives some “teeth” to the ordinances as well as clarifies procedures and requirements. It includes by 2025 to have mandatory collection versus the current universal collection. Explaining the difference, she said “universal collection” makes the service available under any contractor cities and HOA’s being able to contract with a myriad of different companies making it hard to document and follow for the county’s required five-year solid waste management plan. On the other hand, “mandatory collection” means all entities in the county and cities must have pickup under the same contractor. She did not there would be a “grandfather clause” to allow any contracts with different contractors than that with the county that may be in-place on Jan. 1, 2025 to finish the contract and then come into the area plan contract.

It was noted the solid waste plan is separate from solid waste ordinance. District 2 Magistrate Wayne Theiss requested to have a work session on the ordinance to better understand the changes. This session would be scheduled before the second reading which is tentatively scheduled for the second fiscal court meeting in May.

Personnel

Range Manager Job Description proposal. This position is necessary for the new building for the law enforcement services which includes a shooting range. District 8 Magistrate Michael Logsdon noted it is a part-time (20 hours per week) position to be paid $20/hour. While the new job description notes a required “basic knowledge of firearms and shooting range procedures, Theiss queried if those requirements were adequate for the position. Oldham County Police Chief Colonel Greg Smith indicated it would be appropriate for the position. He said the position is a “non-exempt (part-time) position to “schedule and greet customers, responsible for enduring safety and maintaining cleanliness of the shooting rage.” The job description was approved unanimously.

Thomas Torres was approved to begin on April 17 at $20/hour.

Police Department

Smith noted that evening shifts of the Oldham County Police Department have made seizures on I-71 with “speeders and reckless drivers” as well as “notable seizures” of controlled substances. He said in one instance the night shift seized “a kilo of uncut fentanyl coming from the Detroit area to the Tennessee area” which “could have killed a lot of people.”

Additionally, 67 pounds of marijuana, a bunch of guns, etc. have also been confiscated. He said every day, especially at nighttime, is when these drugs come into and pass through the county. Smith said the Police have in their comprehensive plan, training on how to “spot couriers” which “not only aids in apprehension, handling and safety, but also assists in court appearances.” He said the police department also has a narcotics dog. It was noted having the trained canine cost roughly $10,000, it is not just the dog but they a vehicle to transport the animal and its equipment. He said the dog has proven valuable to their department.