On Monday night, the Leitchfield City Council gave its final approval to two ordinances, one which closes the intersection of Mill Street and Shaw Station Road, with the other ordinance offering financial inducements to bring industry to Leitchfield.
Both measures were originally approved at the first readings of the ordinances at a special called City Council meeting on Thursday night.
The closing of the Mill Street/Shaw Station Road intersection (across from Peddler’s Mall) was also approved at the March 20 Grayson County Fiscal Court meeting.
At that meeting, Judge-Executive Kevin Henderson said possible business expansion, and the railroad crossing at the intersection being inherently dangerous – there have been multiple accidents at the intersection, most recently a semi-truck carrying lumber was struck by a train in the spring of 2017 – as the primary reasons for closing the intersection.
“We’re looking for future expansion (of an existing industry), possibly, that’s why we’re wanting to get in front of the ball here to maybe get some more industry in here with the property the county has left over” on Shaw Station Road, Judge Henderson said.
At Monday night’s meeting, Leitchfield City Attorney Kenneth Smart said all of the property owners “in or abutting the portion of Shaw Station Road to be closed” gave the city notarized approvals for the move.
The city offered financial incentives to Eden Fence Inc., an Elizabethtown company owned by Grayson County resident Rob Hughes. The company employs approximately 30 people, and generates well over $3 million in revenue by constructing guardrails for highway use. Eden Fence was founded in 1974.
The ordinance council members voted to approve states in part:
“The city of Leitchfield will pay to the Leitchfield Grayson County Industrial Development Corporation, in consideration of it advancing said amount the sum of $1,000 for each of the first 30 full-time permanent employees hired by Eden Fence Inc. within 60 months of the beginning of its operation. Said expenditure to be recouped within two years from the proceeds of the unabated Net Profits License and Payroll License Fees.”
The company is scheduled to relocate from 150 McCamish Drive in Elizabethtown to a 10 acre lot on Judge Kenneth H. Goff Drive.
By Ken Howlett, News Director
Contact Ken at ken@k105.com or 270-259-6000
