10/05/2026
As Nelson County Judge/Executive, I believe the public deserves an open, transparent and accessible government. My administration has made transparency a priority, and I want to share some of the steps we have taken to keep our citizens informed and involved.
All Fiscal Court meetings are open to the public and include time for public comment. We have moved one of our two monthly meetings to an evening to allow more residents to attend. All meetings are livestreamed on Facebook and recorded for future viewing. We also publish monthly department reports on our website. I host a weekly radio program where citizens can call or text with questions about county government, and also have public forums at various communities 6-8 times per year.
We have consistently worked to make county government accessible, and we will continue to honor our obligations under Kentucky's Open Records Act and other applicable laws.
However, I also believe taxpayers deserve to know how public resources are being utilized.
During the primary election, our office received numerous records requests from Brandon Bryan. Fulfilling these requests required considerable staff time, research and administrative resources, all of which are funded by Nelson County taxpayers. As we approach the general election, we are once again receiving extensive requests, including a recent request from Brandon Bryan, who is currently a candidate for magistrate.
Most recently, Mr. Bryan requested access to employee surveys that I distributed to current county employees. These surveys were intended to give our employees a confidential opportunity to share their honest thoughts, concerns and suggestions directly with me. I specifically assured employees that I would be the only person reading their responses and encouraged them to provide candid feedback.
I denied Mr. Bryans request based on laws & statues. Mr. Bryan appealed my response to the Kentucky Attorney General, which ruled in favor of my office. We respect the Attorney General's review and the legal process governing public records.
While every citizen has the right to request public records, I also believe it is important for taxpayers to understand that fulfilling extensive requests takes time away from other county responsibilities and uses public resources. Our employees work hard every day to serve the people of Nelson County, and their time and efforts are valuable.
I will always support transparency, accountability and the public's right to access government records. At the same time, I have a responsibility to protect the integrity of our county's operations, respect our employees and ensure taxpayer dollars are used responsibly.
My commitment to the citizens of Nelson County has not changed. We will continue to operate an open and transparent government, comply with the law and put the people of this county first.
