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Kentucky Ozone Season restrictions begin in Bullitt County on May 1

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Open burning restrictions will be in place for several counties in Kentucky for the next five months as part of Kentucky Ozone Season.

Ozone Season runs from May 1 through September 30, part of efforts by the Kentucky Energy and Environment Cabinet to protect families and preserve air quality.

According to the EEC, burning of brush, tree limbs, leaves, or natural growth is restricted in counties that have exceeded the federal air quality standards before and are more likely to have pollution problems in warmer months. Included in the restricted counties is Bullitt County, while Jefferson County has open burning restrictions in effect year-round.

The EEC says ozone is protective in the stratosphere, but on the ground-level ozone is a summertime health risk created when pollutants react in the atmosphere in the presence of heat and sunlight. Open burning contributes to ozone pollution, which can irritate breathing passages and can trigger asthma attacks for the more than 380,000 Kentuckians affected by the condition.

The EEC says burning trash is illegal everywhere in Kentucky year-round, and state law prohibits burning plastics, tires, coated wire, and treated wood. Check your local outdoor burning rules and for possible burn bans in effect. Visit the Energy and Environment Cabinet’s website for more information and guidelines.

E-Town council discusses North Downtown plan, wastewater plant expansion

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The Elizabethtown City Council met for a work session Monday.

Samantha Wiser with Taylor Siefker Williams presented on the North Downtown Master Plan, which she said will be the focus of the next round of Community Development Block Grant funding for city projects. Wiser said the improvements and projects in the plan fall under five general topics.

“So looking at that infrastructure(1) that is out there, that’s kind of our base need, right?” Wiser said. “But we’re also looking at walkability, that was something definitely we heard about, so the second topic is really about those walkable connections(2). Identity and design(3), and again, extending that kind of urban and downtown idea and design characteristics and transitioning that to more of the neighborhood scale there. Balanced development(4), and again, this does include Mulberry, so that’s a different kind of development than maybe what’s on Main Street or Williams or something of that nature, and then really the idea of that neighborhood pride(5).”

More information on the North Downtown Master Plan is available by contacting the city’s Planning and Development Office.

Andrew Bohlen and Jim Hagerty with Prime AE provided an update on the Valley Creek Wastewater Treatment Plant expansion project. Bohlen said the project is advancing to the next design stage.

“This next phase will require approximately 16 months of design work,” Bohlen said. “It’s going to include new wastewater processes at the treatment plant. It’s going to include new basins for the expansion of that treatment plant and new buildings, but importantly, it’s also going to rehabilitate and improve existing structures to the extent that we can.”

Hagerty said the Kentucky Department of Water is reviewing the draft facility plan and has given the city permission to proceed to public hearings.

“We’re probably still another six months away from final adoption by the Division of Water, but this is one of the more significant steps in getting approval of the plan,” Hagerty said.

After completion of the design phase, construction is estimated to run between 2028 and 2031.

The Elizabethtown City Council will next meet May 4.

Taul proposes 2026-2027 budget

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The Hardin County Fiscal Court met for their second meeting of the month Monday.

Hardin County Judge/Executive Keith Taul presented his proposed budget for fiscal year 2026-2027. Taul is proposing a budget of $62,468,098, balanced with $2 million from the annual payout from the hospital sale.

“You can see that the revenue is $24 million-plus, with expenses exactly the same, and we end up of course with a balanced budget, and also considering the hospital sale payout as revenue, then we will end up with $700,000 that will go to increase the reserves,” Taul said.

Taul said his goal with the budget is to “stabilize and plan for the future.” The first reading of the budget ordinance will be held at the May 12 fiscal court reading, the second reading will be held at the June 9 meeting, and the budget will be submitted to the Kentucky Department of Local Government on June 13.

A public hearing was held on a request by the Cecilia Baptist Church to close the right of way for North Mill Street and a 495-foot portion of Federal Street in Cecilia.

“This is just a road closure to close it from county maintenance, so you all, by closing the roads, would be transferring this property over to Cecilia Baptist Church, so it will be closed to county maintenance but most of this pavement is going to remain within the Cecilia Baptist Church parking lot, and pavement that won’t remain will either be improved or shifted a little bit,” said County Planner Haley Goodman. 

A resolution approving the request was approved later in the meeting.

In other meeting news, Hardin County Coroner Pat Elmore reported his office responded to 141 cases in January, 97 in February, and 116 in March. Hardin County Sheriff John Ward said in February and March the sheriff’s office made 31 arrests, issued 277 citations, served 184 warrants, and opened 132 criminal cases. Ward also said by the close of business on April 15 the sheriff’s office had collected 99.2 percent of Hardin County property taxes due.

The Hardin County Fiscal Court will next meet May 12.

(Photo Credit: Hardin County Government YouTube Channel)