Franklin County Fiscal Court votes 5–2 to enter closed session over potential real-estate transaction

Frankfort — Franklin County Fiscal Court voted 5–2 on March 5 to enter a closed session under Kentucky Revised Statutes 61.810(1)(b) to discuss the possible acquisition or sale of real property, the court’s minutes show.

County Judge/Executive Michael Mueller called the special meeting to order at 4:03 p.m. at 321 West Main Street and confirmed the meeting was held as a video teleconference in compliance with KRS 61.826. Squire Sherry Sebastian moved to enter the closed session; Squire Scotty Tracy seconded the motion.

The motion to enter the closed session passed with Squires Sherry Sebastian, J.W. Blackburn, Scotty Tracy, Richard Tanner and Judge Michael Mueller voting in favor. Squires Kelly Dycus and Eric Whisman voted in opposition, yielding a 5–2 tally in favor of the closed session.

The transcript identifies the statutory basis cited for the closed session as KRS 61.810(1)(b), which authorizes closed meetings to discuss the future acquisition or sale of real property when publicity would likely affect the value of specific property. The record does not disclose any details of the property discussed while in closed session.

After the closed session, Squire Sherry Sebastian moved and Squire Kelly Dycus seconded a motion to return to open session; the motion passed unanimously. Squire Richard Tanner then moved to adjourn, a motion seconded by Squire Sherry Sebastian; that motion also passed unanimously and the meeting adjourned at 8:07 p.m.

The transcript shows County Attorney Max Comley was in attendance and Clerk Kim Cox is recorded in the meeting record; a series of in-person public commenters are listed by name but the transcript does not specify the substance of their remarks. Those public commenters include Kendall Faught, Brenda Travis, Sandra Allison, Danny Anderson, Tom Wilkinson, Scott Shannon, Gary Dawson, Mark Toothaker, Michelle Fister, Edwin Purett, Kyle Thompson, Aaron Ashcraft, Lisa Cochran, Donna Wilkinson, Zack Rivers, Lisa Darby, Ginger Swartz, Mark Mangeot, and Debbie Chambers.

No formal action adopting or rejecting a property transaction is recorded in the transcript. The only formal votes documented were the authorization to enter the closed session (passed 5–2), the return to open session (unanimous), and the motion to adjourn (unanimous). The transcript does not indicate any follow-up assignments, public disclosure about the closed-session outcome, or subsequent agenda items tied to the closed-session subject.

Officials and residents seeking more detail about the substance of the closed session or any future property actions will need to consult subsequent meeting records or public disclosures; the March 5 transcript itself records only that a closed-session discussion occurred under the cited statute and that the court returned to open session before adjourning.