02/18/2026
βπΌπ£π π©ππ π§π€ππ ππ¨ π€π£ π©ππ πππ’ββ¦.. Back on April 18 residents from the Otter Lake area offered their comments before the fiscal Court. The quote above by one of the local residents was made to emphasize that the Hopkins County Fiscal Court should continue to accept their responsibilities toward Otter Lake #1 dam that they had formerly committed to.
Over three months later, that was essentially the same argument made by the Kentucky Energy and Environmental Cabinet during Circuit Court on July 27, 2023.
As expected, the County was not determined to be the sole owner of the dam. Instead, Circuit Court Division 1 Judge Chris Oglesby ruled that the Hopkins County Fiscal Court does meet the legal definition as an owner of Otter Lake #1 dam.
"Owner" means any person who owns an interest in, controls, or operates a dam;
"Person" means any individual, public or private corporation, political subdivision, government agency, municipality, copartnership, association, firm, trust, estate, or other entity whatsoever;
During the proceedings another property owner was also deemed to be an owner. Other entities are apt be added during future court sessions.
Notable, while it was not discussed today, the fiscal court is the only entity who is believed to have performed work on the dam that is traceable to a number of the violations listed on dam inspection reports that precipitated the State's lawsuit.
(Satellite photo depicts the area of the spillway and road that the county reworked.)
