BY GINA KINSLOW [email protected] –

MUNFORDVILLE — Hart County has joined about a dozen other counties across the state in adopting an ordinance promoting economic development and commerce or right-to-work legislation.

The ordinance — adopted on first reading Thursday — gives Hart County workers the option to join or not join a union.

“We did it because if a union ever comes in to our county, then we want people in our county to feel free to join or not to join,” said Judge-Executive Terry Martin. “We just want to give them the right to choose.”

At one time, Kentucky counties could not adopt right-to-work laws, but a decision handed down by a three-judge panel of the U.S. 6th Court of Appeals in November makes it OK for the counties to adopt such laws.

“We didn’t do it earlier because it was under lawsuit,” Martin said.

In addition to eliminating the requirement for employees covered by the National Labor Relations Act to join or pay dues to a union, or to refrain from a union, the county also desires to promote economic development within the county in cooperation with public and private entities and to be able to compete with the expansion of unemployment opportunities with other cities, counties and states that has similar right-to-work legislation, according to the ordinance.

Martin thinks state legislators will consider right-to-work legislation calling for the entire state to be a right-to-work state when the Kentucky General Assembly convenes in January.

“We’re not assured anything,” he said, but added regardless county officials wanted to make sure Hart County is business friendly.

The ordinance will require a second reading by members of the Hart County Fiscal Court before it is officially adopted.

In other business, members of the fiscal court voted to do the following:

• approved the second reading of a budget amendment for the 2016-17 fiscal year;

• appointed Amy Atwell and Mary Mills Turner to the Hart County Extension Council to serve three-year terms each;

• approved a contract with Telecom Audit Group was approved to ensure the county is not being overcharged by utility companies;

• agreed to allow Martin to sign with Protect My Check, a non-profit 501c (4) to “… assist with any legal defense required should the union challenge the model ordinance, so that taxpayers do not need to be burdened by the union’s threat to sue to protect its current paycheck monopoly.”

• approved the second reading of two ordinances calling for the closing of two dead end roads — Hill Top and Glen Lily West roads;

• approved the purchase of two new vehicles, a van and a SUV to be used by the jail to transport federal inmates at a cost of $25,000 each;

• approved to advertise for the purchase of two safety inserts for transport federal inmates; and to

• approved magistrate requests.