County Commission approves Baptist Hospital development agreement; solar farm regulation changes

By: Carolyn G. Rhea,

Staff Writer

The Fayette County Commission met on Tuesday, August 26, 2025, with 18 members present and one absent.

Appointments

The commission voted to add Ms. Cindy Matlock to the Library board.

Board of Education

Superintendent Dr. Don McPherson spoke to the commission, saying he has been working here for one month. Their enrollment has fallen from 2600 students last year to 2484 this year. They are not hiring but may move teachers around as needed. He will keep up a dialogue with Mayor Taylor and the commission on their budget expenses.

Committee Reports

Chairman Robert Sills of the Development Committee of the commission stated when they met, the Bernard Community Center lease was passed and he made the motion to approve it tonight and it passed. They heard the airport report from director Rusty Bliss that the airport runway is almost finished with crack and seal repair. The summer camp there was a success with 14 participants. There was an airshow tabletop exercise with EMA, the Sheriff’s department, ambulance service and others on how emergencies will be handled. County planner Jim Atkinson spoke about new regulations for Planned Unit developments with more flexibility.

Chairman Tim Goodroe of Health & Welfare reported the ambulance service reported 456 runs in July and were out of ambulances 20 times. Ambulance director Glenn Miller is asking to dispose of 3 old vehicles by auction. The state has negotiated a settlement for opioid sales and if Fayette County joins, there are no attorney fees and the county will receive about $100,000 over the next 16 years. Landfill director Terry Chambers told the committee that the landfill needs a compactor to extend use of the landfill. The cost is about $400,000. This will be brought back next month.

Education Committee Vice-Chairman Adrian Wiggins reported they reviewed the school board budget amendments and discussed the Library board nominee which has already been approved.

Public Safety Chairman Betsy Rice stated they reviewed the Sheriff’s report and the county Fire Chief’s July reports. There is a budget amendment for the fire department regarding the Yum Yum Solar Farm contribution which is to provide a water source for additional firefighting. They will place a large water tank with a dedicated well attached. They are donating $125,000 to the fire department for that and the committee voted approval.

Budget Committee

Budget Chairman Steve Reeves brought up several budget amendments that were discussed during the various committee meetings. The commission approved the opioid settlement, the employee health insurance agreement, Public Works fund correction, the Library clerk position and the Sheriff’s clerk that was approved but left out of the budget, the Solid Waste insurance recovery, the school board amendments, the fire department’s solar farm contribution, the Planning Department’s need to replace a code enforcement officer, and the Election Commission’s expense to mail redistricting notices to voters. They also approved an insurance payment for the ambulance service and to allow them to sell three vehicles.

Also on the property tax rate, it was set at $.93104 but it had to be changed to have 3 figures past the decimal point, which makes the tax rate $.9310. A roll call vote was held to make this correction and it passed unanimously.

Courthouse Update

Mayor Skip Taylor told the commission that we had planned to upgrade the phone system and the low voltage wiring and we had set aside money for general items and this. They have a low bid of $85,000 and the high bid was $145,000. It will take about 6 weeks to get done. Commissioner Mike Reeves asked why wasn’t this done previously and Taylor replied we couldn’t really bid this out until there was a walk-through with vendors recently. The commission voted approval.

Solar Farm

Committee Chairman Robert Sills stated we heard from folks in the audience along with the proposed changes. The changes are: Requiring a zoning change to establish a solar farm. Reduce the distance from a main TVA transmission line from 1.5 miles to 1.0 miles. Include requirements on how flood prone areas will be treated. The committee recommended the resolution as changed be sent back to the county planning commission for incorporation into the planning regulations and then brought back to the Commission for adoption. The committee also discussed whether an extension of the September 30th deadline of the moratorium on accepting new applications may be needed. A possible extension may be needed if notice to the public is wanted prior to the implementation of the changes. Planner Jim Atkinson stated the planning commission meets next week, September 2, on this with a public hearing.

Commissioner Goodroe asked what will the federal dissolution of federal funding do with these solar farms or fields on the solar companies. Atkinson said last year we had about 12 companies coming to the office and looking at Fayette County. That seems to have dried up a bit. Mayor Taylor said some of them coming in were mom and pop companies and I think those are gone. The established companies will still be around.

The county is leasing five acres of land at the landfill to a solar farm company. Commissioner Terry Leggett asked are they maintaining it and it needs to be cleaned up. Mayor Taylor stated we have a person to contact and it will be cleaned up on their dime. They are paying rent to the county.

The vote was taken on the solar regulation and it passed.

New Business

Taylor brought up the Baptist Hospital development agreement and resolution. This will transfer the property purchased from Chickasaw Electric on Hwy 64 at Warren Road to the Fayette County Industrial Development Board. The county will transfer $7 million held back to the ID Board to give this board the ability to do projects. He said later there will be a sublease leasing the property back to the county and to Baptist Hospital and there will be a loan agreement once we go out to bid to borrow the balance of funds. He said we will borrow $11 million towards building and $1 million for any operating losses in the first year. It will be up to Baptist to build it and operate the hospital. Taylor said we finance the building and Baptist will build it.

An attorney from Glankler Brown as their bond council went over the process with the commission. Baptist has gotten their certificate of need from the state and are ready to build. The commission voted their approval to proceed. Taylor said the next couple of years we have debt service that wheel tax is going toward that will fall off. As soon as that happens, we will be able to dedicate that totally to this project. We will get a sign out on the property soon.