Board approves consent agenda; includes PILOT with Bardstown Bourbon Company

The Nelson County Board of Education approved its consent agenda at the Dec. 16 meeting. A question from a board member prompted an explanation of a pilot agreement with Bardstown Bourbon Company.

According to the explanation given during the consent‑agenda discussion, the county would own the property under the arrangement, which would make it tax‑exempt; Bardstown Bourbon Company would make a payment in lieu of taxes (PILOT) to cover what the school district would otherwise receive in property taxes while the company used the property. The presenter said the agreement is expected to run about 30 years before transitioning to a more traditional payment process routed through the sheriff's office and noted the PVA (property valuation administrator) would assess and set the rate used for annual payments.

A motion to approve the consent agenda was made and seconded; the board voted 'Aye' and the consent agenda passed in open session.

What was not included in the open record: the transcript does not provide the text of the PILOT agreement, specific dollar amounts, or the detailed protections built into the agreement; presenters referred to negotiated protections that allow updates as property values shift.