Daviess County Fiscal Court rescinded a contract for the 2020 fireworks display at Panther Creek Park because of the COVID-19 pandemic during a regular meeting Thursday.
“We have pulled that contract. There was some question regarding what happens if the COVID virus continues for a longer period than what we think,” said Daviess County Judge-Executive Al Mattingly.
Daviess County resident Stuart Snow, who serves as pyrotechnic for the event, recommended the court come back in July and then decide, Mattingly said. The event has been held in September the past two years.
Commissioners also approved a lease agreement with Matt Boarman to moor his boat dock at Little Hurricane boat ramp, and in part he will manage the upkeep of the area for the county.
Fiscal Court further approved several bids including a zero turn mower and several machines for the Daviess County Gun Club, among them a new target thrower and thrower cart.
A budget meeting was also held Thursday prior to the regular meeting. The fiscal year 2020-21 budget is projected to be roughly $72.6 million.
Jim Hendrix, county treasurer, reported that the county switched the way it offered health insurance.
“We made the decisions to go into the Kentucky employee’s health plan. That means we’re no longer self-insured,” Hendrix said. “Certainly it changed the dynamic of risk for the court, and there are certainly things we deal with from a private point of view that we no longer have to deal with.”
Mattingly said it budget was good and should be able to weather any storms brought on by COVID-19.
“I think it’s a pretty fair budget,” he said. “There’s certainly are some uncertainties in this coming year but as you heard the treasurer say I don’t believe there’s anything that we won’t be able to manage.”
