County receives grants to purchase more land for industrial park, upgrade technology

Wayne County Judge Executive Scott Gehring announced in last week’s fiscal court meeting

that the county has received additional grant funds to purchase 50.63 acres of land for the

proposed industrial park.

The grant, totaling $493,642.50, is part of the Kentucky Product Development Initiative

(KPDI) Grant from the Industrial Development Authority. Gehring said the grant can only be

used to purchase land for economic development purposes.

“It doesn’t have anything to do with local tax dollars,” Gehring said. “This is all grant money,

and this is the only thing this money can be spent on.”

This is the second land purchase for the industrial park. The county previously received

grant funds to purchase 35 acres of land behind the Don Franklin dealership where the

park will be located.

“When this first came along, only 28 counties in the state were able to be awarded those

funds,” said Magistrate Jonathan Dobbs. “It’s definitely a win for the community.”

Gehring said the industrial park will be used to locate industries and create jobs within the

community.

Gehring also announced that the county received Cybersecurity grant funds through the

Kentucky Office of Homeland Security to upgrade technology in all county offices.

The grant totals $255,800 and requires no match from the county, so the project is paid

entirely through the grant.

OTHER BUSINESS

– The court went into executive session pursuant to KRS 61.810 (1) (c), but no

comment was given as to what it pertained to. The KRS statute states: (1) All

meetings of a quorum of the members of any public agency at which any public

business is discussed or at which any action is taken by the agency, shall be public

meetings, open to the public at all times, except for the following: (c) Discussions of

proposed or pending litigation against or on behalf of the public agency.”

– Road adoptions include 1000’ of Denny Cemetery Road off Tuggle Hollow in District

2; 700’ of Rains Cemetery Road off Jennings Hollow in District 2; 390’ of Sierra Drive

near Bell Subdivision in District 4; and 500’ of Tope Circle off Richards Road in

District 4.

– Road removals include 3,659’ of CR 439 Tom Denney Road in District 2; and 150’ of

Spring Branch Road off Ky Hwy 196 in District 4.

– The court voted to apply for the House Bill 1 Jail Arraignment Equipment Grant

which will pay for upgrading software.

– Personnel action included Delilah Mansfield moving from tax administrator to

Human Resources; Shelby Mitchell as tax administrator; David Rednour as the Solid

Waste White Goods Coordinator replacing Tim Massengale who retired; and Chris

Pyles as a CDL driver for the road department.

– The court voted to do the surplus property auction as sealed bids in April.

Magistrates Dobbs and Jeffrey Dishman voted yes, while Magistrates Ronnie Turner

and Wade Dick voted no. Gehring acted as the tie breaker and voted yes, so the

motion passed. A date for the sealed bid auction will be announced at a later time.

– The court voted to pay for D.A.R.E. program training for local school resource

officers at $600 per person, and it will be paid for with the opioid abatement money.

Present at the meeting were Wayne County Judge Executive Scott Gehring and magistrates

Ronnie Turner (District 1), Jeffrey Dishman (District 2), Wade Dick (District 3), and Johnathan

Dobbs (District 4).

The fiscal court meets on the 2nd Thursday of each month at 6 pm in the fiscal court

chambers.