[{"_1":2,"_111":-5,"_112":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87,99],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6494786,"mediaKeyId","5682080-15045ca42da1f7818c11b66fc22afbba","parentId",5682080,"title","Votes at a glance: Hardin County Fiscal Court actions on pay, positions, contracts and bids","audioSeconds",1066,"startMs",4307000,"endMs",5373000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=5682080-15045ca42da1f7818c11b66fc22afbba&start=4307&end=5373","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5682080-15045ca42da1f7818c11b66fc22afbba/thumbnail_4307000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6494786/Hardin-County/Kentucky/Votes-at-a-glance-Hardin-County-Fiscal-Court-actions-on-pay-positions-contracts-and-bids","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6494786-b61b4e31caffa7df32098b4c22e0e507/orig.mp4?Expires=1770861520&Signature=giCISxRPnbOjzpz6-8RM8c34emt1QXpstbGUF0j-RNj0fM6BXOlj-cZ4fqz~N~nPUzDSYj3~bhZQ1JU0Pza~fVHUHWTPHf0X3Ly5KuMOYmF6tQ4Ma2e7qao7UgXMyCzR0E36JIDw0Eey4RiFtGUiyb9~IWgFyqkUBxviLv8X-8jqyb8dxFPk33M8wEvv0LgEDzKmKzTsFl6DVmtfZaTLTgWmYUJX3s0dBoR1vn0iXzzIR19SnnkfVAuLl-FTo7fo2mPQzU-raioXn3YSf-njGZ7SaCv9GqOMZIkAxGkYzYdFafTOeQNmRgrGkBsoy1eI34XLEgQRMkEQ24vTCzymqQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Hardin County, KY","date","2025-08-27T11:04:42Z","article","At its Aug. 26 meeting, Hardin County Fiscal Court approved a set of resolutions on personnel pay, job descriptions, contracts and routine business. Below are the key actions and vote details drawn from the meeting record.

1) Resolution 2025-171 — Adopt 2025 county property tax rates
Outcome: Approved (see separate article for full coverage).

2) Resolution 2025-160 — Add on-call duty pay to personnel policies (road department and animal shelter)
What it does: Increases on-call pay from $15 per weekday to $20 per weekday and from $50 per weekend day (weekend amount reported as $50) with a three-hour minimum pay on call-ins.
Vote: Passed. Roll-call votes recorded: Squire Clem (yes); Squire Hicks (yes); Squire Muse (no); Squire Pennington (yes); Squire Saltzman (yes); Squire Thompson (yes); Squire Whitehead (yes); Squire Yates (yes); Judge Executive Keith Taul (yes).
Tally: Yes 8, No 1. Notes: Squire Muse explained opposition based on budget concerns though other members said the increase was comparable to neighboring employers and overdue for affected staff.

3) Resolution 2025-166 — Revise job description and convert communications role from part-time public-relations to full-time communications officer
What it does: Elevates the position to full time, increases grade and salary range to align with added responsibilities including external media relations and internal communications; the description also includes coordination of grant-related efforts (not direct grant writing).
Vote: Passed. Roll-call votes recorded: Squire Clem (no); Squire Hicks (yes); Squire Muse (no); Squire Pennington (yes); Squire Saltzman (no); Squire Thompson (yes); Squire Whitehead (yes); Squire Yates (yes); Judge Executive Keith Taul (yes).
Tally: Yes 6, No 3. Notes: Opponents cited budgeting and scope concerns; supporters said the county needs a full-time communicator for media, internal communications and emergency messaging.

4) Resolution 2025-170 — Rescind prior resolution 156 (ambulance equipment/lease) and require competitive bidding
What it does: Rescinds a previously approved lease agreement for ambulance equipment after staff discovered the purchase required soliciting bids. The administration said the item will be reissued for bid and returned to the next meeting.
Vote: Passed (unanimous roll call recorded).

5) Resolution 2025-172 — Approve KYTC (LEHI) fund agreement for resurfacing Blue Ball Church Road and Tunnel Hill Road (~$394,000)
What it does: Authorizes the county to accept and contract with the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet for resurfacing work funded by LEHI program monies.
Vote: Passed (unanimous roll call recorded).

6) Consent agenda (multiple items) — Passed
Items included: treasurer's financial report; August claims and payroll registers; financial transfers (Res. 2025-161); transfer and sale of a 2020 Tahoe to Grayson County Correctional Center (Res. 2025-157); Vertiv battery replacement for communications tower (Res. 2025-158); TimeClock Plus renewal (Res. 2025-159); vehicle procurement for road department (Res. 2025-162); personnel changes in road, EMS and 911 (Res. 2025-163/164/165); personnel handbook revisions (Res. 2025-167); finance personnel change (Res. 2025-168); surplus 4-wheeler transfer to Hodgenville Police Department (Res. 2025-169); and minutes of committee meetings. Several of these items were described briefly by staff during the consent-agenda summary.
Vote: Consent agenda approved on roll call (unanimous recorded).

How the court acted: Most contested votes involved personnel pay and the communications position; several members asked for fiscal prudence while others argued for competitive wages and full-time communications capacity. Where statutory or procurement rules applied, the court rescinded approvals and directed staff to obtain bids.

Ending note: Items requiring follow-up include reissuing the ambulance-equipment procurement for bid and implementing personnel changes; staff will present the bid results or job-fill progress at subsequent meetings.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Fiscal Court Meeting - August 26, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","The court approved several resolutions including a tax-rate adoption, increases to on-call pay for road and animal-control staff, a job description change creating a full-time communications officer, a rescission of an ambulance lease resolution pending competitive bids, a KYTC resurfacing contract, and the consent agenda.","taxTitle","Hardin County, Kentucky","taxId",4632,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6494791,"Hardin County coroner reports rise in caseload; QRT details outreach and harm-reduction work",490,3064000,3554000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5682080-15045ca42da1f7818c11b66fc22afbba&start=3064&end=3554","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5682080-15045ca42da1f7818c11b66fc22afbba/thumbnail_3064000.jpg","/articles/6494791/Hardin-County/Kentucky/Hardin-County-coroner-reports-rise-in-caseload-QRT-details-outreach-and-harm-reduction-work","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6494791-220744fa52dce47863046c6e5b6e4451/orig.mp4?Expires=1770861520&Signature=eW1kZBZfTQo1IRZwPDkmbLAPB4fwJNTPTVEy-tlgsw4nFtcGg~0MCJdztqBf28uVaCCqBoP7buR~AREFTH6I4Vadu1E6JnCQEcv2qQtG1VOvdMRcJd1nPxEx4LECku04VTf0LeY2hK6HJjYScPslCB8UUF1Q82efJt69g8q2ZybaQUs~ARIWSDix4~3ndy~9KHASRkcIZrlBlxTTQKinAeb2tXZBH6u16uDKDXvT48LDOmEyHElhnfYUHqNXrWGPfqwLfV5ZpBwzWt7-3vVpZEqS5qgJE8Elza2cvLRX-3JTVVbCk-mi4cqleBUKXUui4hrq0AfWZMwLA53yka3DrQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Hardin County Coroner Pat Elmore told the Fiscal Court Tuesday that the coroner's office handled 72 cases in June and 129 cases in July, and that the office has performed more autopsies than earlier in the year.

Elmore said the July increase included motor-vehicle collisions, overdoses involving oxycodone and hydrocodone, and a number of natural deaths. He noted one toxicology report remained pending at the time of his presentation.

Quick Response Team (QRT) officer Justin Blair gave a detailed account of the team's outreach. Blair said personnel received six referrals during the month and completed four referral responses. Since launching referral-response capability he said the team received 25 referrals year to date and could not respond to several calls because they were outside county limits, labeled dangerous, or involved HIPAA-restricted locations.

Blair described the \"block-by-block\" initiative that identifies overdose hot spots and sends teams to knock on doors, distribute resources and offer Narcan training. In July the team knocked on 58 doors, engaged with 21 community members and distributed ten two-dose Narcan kits; year-to-date totals were 165 doors knocked, 59 residents engaged and 39 two-dose kits distributed.

Blair described partnerships that brought a mobile Lincoln Trail District Health Department unit to support testing during outreach and said social-media outreach had reached large audiences: he reported more than 464,000 views, reach of over 125,000 individuals and more than 7,000 interactions on QRT content year to date.

He also said the QRT has assembled \"leave-behind\" kits for EMS to give people who refuse transport after an overdose; kits include naloxone, fentanyl test strips, a CPR face shield and resource information.

Coroner Elmore said county overdose deaths are down by 16 compared with the prior year through July, a trend he and the QRT hope continues.

Why it matters: officials said QRT contacts reduce repeat interactions with local emergency systems and hospitals and can save substantial costs; Blair cited studies presented in Washington, D.C., showing repeated QRT contacts are correlated with reduced system interactions and lower hospital charges.

Ending: The coroner and QRT asked for continued county support for outreach, training for suicide-attempt responses and partnership assistance from other county departments.

Quoted material in this article was taken from the coroner’s office presentation to the court.","The coroner's office reported a jump in case counts in July and described Quick Response Team outreach that distributed naloxone and conducted door-to-door engagement in overdose \"hot spots.\" Officials said overdose-related deaths are down year-to-date compared with last year.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":92,"_47":93,"_49":94,"_51":95,"_53":96,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":97,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":98,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6494796,"BlueOval SK begins commercial production at Glendale battery plant; union vote underway",427,1095000,1522000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5682080-15045ca42da1f7818c11b66fc22afbba&start=1095&end=1522","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5682080-15045ca42da1f7818c11b66fc22afbba/thumbnail_1095000.jpg","/articles/6494796/Hardin-County/Kentucky/BlueOval-SK-begins-commercial-production-at-Glendale-battery-plant-union-vote-underway","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6494796-f8c7c7b1c508a43197d0a96563a6827e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770861520&Signature=at7Wium6p2TFDV0j-DAxpwBAtT-Zv3uM5CYBcdudKqbex3x~AzB2-mfnl9YolXfPT4thmbfvYw1jILyXcWrZY8h3zGJxON3k89Emsw0NUW0NSbcZY1z0KLb5jsi30D4c5sjnwmVeXo7k0nX1faL-qV~KP2ffCwZhAHym~A1TeFmBCN8-TKu1b08rDiO0HMeHAqQtSDdav1KEwyBsI9qUkjJbgvbOUzU848Q1wXoEHbt9a6Ezb1ftNRgo3qKAhNaDtjKsolxl6xsNGwb2PzhesMggvJhNfRoSoyxzo-PUjH8pGi2xStEam8iTMOIah04eCVJ44ZEcHv8Q2gzfJAs40A__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","BlueOval SK representatives updated the Hardin County Fiscal Court on Tuesday that full commercial production began at the Glendale battery plant one week earlier.

Kelly McAllister, external affairs director for BlueOval SK, told the court the plant is producing battery packs that will be used in Ford F-150 Lightning trucks and will be shipped to Ford’s Michigan operations. McAllister said the company employs more than 1,400 people at the Glendale site and that 94% are local hires who did not relocate to take the jobs.

\"It is go time,\" McAllister said, adding the company held multiple start-up celebrations and that the site operates seven days a week, 24 hours a day.

McAllister said a second Kentucky building known as \"Kentucky 2\" is structurally complete but remains on pause pending market conditions. She declined to interpret comments from Ford’s CEO about any repurposing plans, saying BlueOval SK cannot speak for Ford.

On labor relations, McAllister said the plant is conducting a vote on whether to form a union. She described the company as taking a public stance in favor of remaining a \"direct relationship\" employer but said employees will decide the outcome at the ballot box; McAllister said voting stations had been open that day and would be open again the following day.

Why it matters: county officials praised the economic impact of the plant and emphasized local hiring. County leaders said they expect to continue working with BlueOval SK as production ramps up.

Ending: McAllister invited the court to a public celebration later in the year and said the company is proud to call Hardin County home.

Direct quotes in this story are drawn from McAllister’s presentation to the court.","BlueOval SK told Hardin County Fiscal Court this week that full commercial production started one week earlier at its Glendale plant, the company said it employs about 1,400 people (94% local hires) and is conducting an internal vote on union representation.",{"_33":100,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":101,"_41":102,"_43":103,"_45":104,"_47":105,"_49":106,"_51":107,"_53":108,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":109,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":110,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6494801,"Hardin County adopts 2025 property tax rates after public hearing",328,2168000,2496000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=5682080-15045ca42da1f7818c11b66fc22afbba&start=2168&end=2496","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/5682080-15045ca42da1f7818c11b66fc22afbba/thumbnail_2168000.jpg","/articles/6494801/Hardin-County/Kentucky/Hardin-County-adopts-2025-property-tax-rates-after-public-hearing","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6494801-aaf3499f53caff403a49b8ea6409ee7e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770861520&Signature=f21okqdSrtgU-HE7D7xnvv7hKgKpaTlLio0maTuG5GOYrWATYrxX~eGSi2eexqYno1Vu6iE1t0yjMVb3RlPsxxNUNDmGUi23WkWTngZdjMPG141OTwaI~k8wMDGoZRRCd4NFf6kB~Vj69cLPpcp3b8zt~-zV1xcMtE0iU~J3KiQMujQXLcltyF9MLXvOnvz3iy~chZmjAIOMXhqF1M8BKjdW0tt-43m6uKy~cpFyamfeL90AdPLBPmRIB67tXBeLslmevVyzl2PpvTt7CZv-yWDqjUTijOv6AgBHWyEXu1ePiLI6vd30xVZ2GEEn-LIgGL2SDtH~zSEpWQ-7c8jBXw__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Hardin County Fiscal Court voted Tuesday to adopt property tax rates for 2025 after a public hearing required by Kentucky statute.

The court approved a real-estate tax rate of 10.8 cents per $100 of assessed value, a business personal property rate of 12.3 cents per $100, and a motor vehicle and watercraft rate of 11.5 cents per $100. The motion to adopt the rates carried on a roll-call vote with Squire Clem, Squire Hicks, Squire Muse, Squire Pennington, Squire Saltzman, Squire Thompson, Squire Whitehead, Squire Yates and Judge Executive Keith Taul voting yes.

County staff presented the tax settlement and the recommended rates to the court before the hearing. The county explained the two rate options calculated by the Department of Local Government: the \"compensating\" rate, which yields no new revenue compared with the prior year, and a rate that would raise 4% more revenue than the compensating rate. The court adopted the 4% revenue-option rates.

Why it matters: county officials said the 4% option was necessary to align projected tax receipts with the budget. The county's budgeted recurring operating expenses exceed recurring revenues; officials reported using one-time prior-year funds in the current budget and said the additional tax revenue would reduce a projected shortfall.

Key points from the presentation included: the compensating (no increase) real-estate rate would have been 10.4 cents per $100 and the 4%-increase real-estate rate calculated at 10.8 cents; a large increase in real-estate valuations allowed the real-estate rate to fall by 0.3 cents even while producing additional revenue; a roughly $30 million decline in tangible personal property valuations (mainly inventories and contractor equipment) pushed the business personal property rate upward; and the estimated net revenue difference between the two options was about $400,000 after accounting for assumed collection rates and sheriff's fees.

County Attorney Ginny Oldham opened and closed the required public hearing; no members of the public spoke. Oldham reminded the court that the hearing had been advertised on the statutorily required dates.

The court's action now authorizes staff to proceed with tax-bill preparation and mailing under the timetable set by state law.

Officials said the county will continue to monitor valuations and collections and that school and city tax rates are set separately by those governing bodies.

Ending: The adopted rates apply to county levies only and take effect for the 2025 tax year as set by statute. The court's clerk and county staff will publish the final rate schedule and next steps for taxpayers ahead of bill mailing.","After a public hearing required by state law, the Hardin County Fiscal Court voted to adopt 2025 county property tax rates that modestly lower the real-estate rate while raising the business personal property rate to offset revenue declines.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Votes at a glance: Hardin County Fiscal Court actions on pay, positions, contracts and bids

Hardin County coroner reports rise in caseload; QRT details outreach and harm-reduction work

BlueOval SK begins commercial production at Glendale battery plant; union vote underway

Hardin County adopts 2025 property tax rates after public hearing