Water Doesn’t Stop at a Border
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Water Doesn’t Stop at a Border
McCreary County Votes Yes to stay in SMEC Coalition
Photo by Shane Gilreath
The McCreary County Fiscal County met in regular session on Thursday, where the Roberta II landfill and the SMEC coalition were on the agenda.
By Shane Gilreath
SCN Contributing Editor
[email protected]
The McCreary County Fiscal Court voted unanimously last Thursday to continue funding the Scott-McCreary Environmental Coalition (SMEC), reaffirming the county’s commitment to the multi-jurisdictional effort, despite rumors that some magistrates had reservations ahead of the monthly meeting.
McCreary County, one of the coalition’s original partners when it formed in June, remains closely involved. The county is represented by Judge-Executive Jimmie “Bevo” Greene II, County Emergency Management and Solid Waste Coordinator Stephen McKinney, and County Attorney Austin Price. District 3 Magistrate Bobby Strunk has also regularly attended Scott County landfill and coalition meetings.
“To date, we have spent $23,033, plus $154 on the last bill,” Greene told the court. “The coalition has decided we want to see some progress and allocate $15,000 until we see what’s going on.”
McKinney noted the $15,000 contribution represents one-fifth of the coalition’s shared costs, matching what other members have pledged to pay. District 2 Magistrate Bill Taylor questioned whether the amount would serve as a cap on future spending, with Greene saying it is what the county is spending for now, while District 4 Magistrate Randy Maxwell urged caution.
“We don’t give anymore until we see progress,” Maxwell questioned.
After the vote, Cumberland Clear President Jennifer Shockley thanked the court for its continued support. “I came here to thank you for your participation. It’s painful,” she said. “It’s a lot of money, but we are seeing positive feedback from this. I’ve had people reach out from all the way from Memphis and across Kentucky.”
Later, Shockley emphasized the broader regional impact. “This is a big issue, not because of what we’re doing, but because of what you’re doing. A region, divided by a border, coming together to stop this. Water doesn’t stop at a border,” she said. “Neither does air.”
Though not present at the meeting, local opponents, including County Attorney Austin Price and his wife, Darlene Price, have remained vocal.
“Of all the bad ideas to come around in the history of McCreary County and Scott County, this is one of the worst,” Darlene Price said at a previous Fiscal Court meeting.
Austin Price echoed those concerns, warning that the project poses significant risks. “This is the most dangerous thing facing McCreary County,” he said. “We can’t rely on Frankfort. We can’t rely on Nashville. The gun is pointed at us. We need to take care of ourselves with this.”
