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The Harlan County Fiscal Court voted to continue a lease agreement with the HCC ATV Drag Track located at Verda during the panel’s regular meeting for June. The lease was approved with one change, agreeing to allow events to be held every Saturday.

Harlan County Judge-Executive Dan Mosley brought the matter up to the magistrates.

“The next item is to discuss the ATV drag track lease and take necessary action,” Mosley said. “Mr. Leon Skidmore is here today. He is the current lessee; the existing lease expired on May 31.”

Mosley said Skidmore wished to discuss some possible changes to the lease.

“We originally agreed on doing every other Saturday,” Skidmore said. “That’s just not much time. If we get rained out one weekend, we try to reschedule for another, but we’d like to just have it approved – it’s still going to be Saturdays only – but we’d like it approved to run every Saturday.”

According to Skidmore, an event is unlikely to be held every Saturday.

“We’d just like to have that opportunity if we were to need it,” Skidmore said.

Skidmore also explained the track’s current insurance situation.

“It’s really expensive,” Skidmore said. “It has to be paid upfront before the season. When the lease ran out, the insurance did too. We’ve not reinstated the insurance because it’s nonrefundable. If the lease was not approved, the insurance money would just be gone.”

Skidmore mentioned the facility intends to stick to practice of not starting any events after 10 p.m. as per the original agreement.

“All you’re asking for is to be able to do this every Saturday,” Mosley said.

Mosley mentioned there have been no complaints since the facility began operations last year. Magistrate Bill Moore added he had received some complaints before the track began operation, but there have been no complaints since.

“I would entertain a motion to renew the existing lease from June 1, 2023 through May 31, 2024, upon the producing of the insurance and one change on item three of the lease, to go from biweekly to weekly events,” Mosley said.

Magistrate Jim Roddy made the motion, seconded by Magistrate James Howard. The court approved the motion with no objections.

In other business the Fiscal Court…

• Approved to apply for a microgrant through the National Institute for Hometown Security was approved.

• Gave permission to apply for “Move the Needle” funding through the Center for Rural Development was approved.

• Gave permission to apply for ARC Flex-E grant was approved.

• Renewed a contract with Johnson Controls for Fire Alare Systems at the Justice Center.

• Accepted Harlan County Sheriff’s receipts for 2021 oil tax rebills .

• Accepted the Harlan County Sheriff’s receipts for 2022 oil tax rebills

• Accepted the Harlan County Sheriff’s receipts for 2022 limestone, sand and gravel tax bills.