Local News

County employees would receive get a small raise this year, if the proposed 2013-14 budget presented Tuesday night by Shelby County Judge-Executive Rob Rothenburger gets final approval.

In his budget presentation Rothenburger said he was recommending a 1.74 percent pay increase for full-time employees.

Rothenburger called the $18.1 million budget, which is a shade more than last year’s budget of $17.8 million “a balanced budget.”

Rothenburger commended his department heads, including the road department.

Members of the Shelby Sharks swim team would like to align themselves with the prestigious Lakeside Swim Club from Louisville – but that might not be OK with the Shelby County Parks & Recreation Board.

The parks board at its meeting Tuesday will consider whether it wants to work with the Sharks on a new agreement to use the Family Activities Center at Clear Creek Park or even take over operating the team.

Beshear approves exchange to expand health insurance

Calling it “the single-most important decision in our lifetime for improving the health of Kentuckians,” Gov. Steve Beshear on Thursday announced the inclusion of 308,000 more Kentuckians in the federal Medicaid health insurance program.

Beshear said announcing the expansion that, together with the creation of the Health Benefit Exchange, this would ensure that every Kentuckian will have access to affordable health insurance.

Issues involving the downtown Village Center District in Simpsonville – at least changes involving those long-range plans – dominated the discussion at Tuesday’s meeting of the Simpsonville City Commission.

Commissioners voted to close out payment for the first phase of the sidewalk project for the downtown corridor and also approved on first reading a text amendment for a zone change for that corridor to allow for moderately sized LED signs.