By Scott White
Managing Editor
The Woodford County Fiscal Court, at its Dec. 9 meeting, decided to debate the Versailles-Midway-Woodford County Planning Commission’s proposed new ordinances relating to changes to land use at its first January 2026 meeting. The proposed changes include significant changes to the limitations and requirements of in-family conveyances in rural, agricultural land.
The in-family conveyance issue has gone back and forth from the Fiscal Court and the Planning Commission since late 2024. The proposed changes now before the court include several other proposals in addition to in-family conveyances, such as lot width, accessory buildings and public notice requirements for applications for conditional use permits.
Prior to its regular meeting, the Ordinance Committee, which is composed of Magistrates Mary Ann Gill, Larry Blackford, William Downey and Judge-Executive James Kay, heard a 35-minute presentation from Planning Director Steve Hunter on the details and specifics of the proposal, which included a chronological time line from when in-family conveyance changes were first discussed by the commission in the summer of 2023 through the current proposal.
Hunter also emphasized this was all being done in the context of the ongoing process to write a new Comprehensive Plan, and that amending these provisions was like “putting the cart before the horse, but that’s where we are.”
The Ordinance Committee voted 2-1 to recommend the Planning Commission’s proposed changes to the full Fiscal Court, with Kay casting the nay vote and Downey absent due to a conflict that could not be resolved to allow him to attend.
After praising the Planning Commission and Hunter on their work and the amount of public input obtained, Kay explained his nay vote: “We need smart, strategic growth. I’m concerned this has turned into blaming farmers for (problems) associated with in-family conveyances. But I think farmers are the solution. … It is farmers who are preserving the land. The real pressure is coming from the urban services boundary. We need to focus on those areas which can be developed there.”
Kay also pointed out that the full and voluminous record on which the Fiscal Court is required to base its decision was only provided to the court by the Planning Commission staff the prior day.
Gill, in what appeared to be a response to Kay, said, “No one is saying farmers are the problem. . . . (The problem) is residential development on farms.”
The full Fiscal Court will meet as a Committee of the Whole prior to the regular meeting on Jan. 13 to debate and vote on the Ordinance Committee’s recommendation to adopt the proposal. If it passes in that committee and during the Fiscal Court meeting that follows, an ordinance drafted by the county attorney will then need to be drafted and approved with two readings by the Fiscal Court before it would become law.
All Points Broadband
Congruex, a telecommunications infrastructure company that does end-to-end network design and builds services, presented its plan to construct a rural broadband service in Woodford County. Congruex is the contractor hired by All Points Broadband, the county’s partner in the project.
The timelines outlined by Congruex project head engineer, Christian Blazer, for the start and completion of the project, remain unchanged from those reported to the Fiscal Court in November by All Points Broadband representatives. The work will begin in late January or early February 2026 and will be 80 percent complete in September, with total completion in December 2026.
One significant item learned at the meeting was that the fiber optic cable will all be underground unless “it becomes nearly impossible and then we’d go above,” said Blazer.
Blazer said door hangers will be left at residences and businesses being hooked up to the service, so folks will know when crews will be on site. The hangers will also have a QR code, which will allow residents to view the project in real time.
At the project’s completion, there will be 2,450 rural sites and homes with broadband installed and 207 miles of cable path laid.
Planning Commission appointment
The court approved Kay’s appointment of long-time South Woodford County resident and farmer Karen Isberg to the Planning Commission for a full term.
Contracts
The court approved the request of Maintenance Supervisor Rick Wade to approve a maintenance contract with Nixon Power for a preventive maintenance program for the generators at the Woodford County Detention Center, EMS stations 1 and 2, and the Senior Center. The cost is $14,140, total, for two years.
The court also approved a contract extension for two years with Rumpke for trash collection that was requested by Director Sherry McDaniel. The proposal by McDaniel locks in the collection rate with no adjustments for fuel costs. The cost will be $2,450 a month in year one, and $2,550 a month in year two.
Road Department
The court accepted Kay’s recommendation to appoint Scott Dean, the Road Department’s head mechanic, as interim department supervisor for up to three months, the most allowed by Kentucky statute.
Treasurer’s report
Woodford County Treasurer Melody Traugott reported the current balance of the money market account is $14,811,279.19.