HOPKINS CO., KY (WFIE) -
Some loggers in Hopkins County are upset with a proposed ordinance that would require companies to register before taking down and removing trees.
The county wants to prevent road damage.
Local loggers in Hopkins County including Tom Sisk say they aren't being treated fairly.
"Us being loggers, we shouldn't be singled out that we have to go through this ordinance and nobody else does," Sisk said.
Transportation Director Shaun Roberts says this ordinance stems from reports of out of county logging companies coming in, extracting timber, and leaving the roads damaged. He says it's not so much a problem with local companies.
Roberts said, "We did not get the same reports, such widespread reports, from other industries. But if out of county businesses will not play by the same set of rules as in county businesses, then Hopkins County government has a role to play."
"I don't think we ought to be penalized because someone came in here and made a mistake," Sisk said.
The ordinance states that all logging companies must register where and when they'll be working to give the county time to survey the roads, and fines and suspensions will be assessed if ignored.
But Sisk argues is shouldn't just be logging companies.
"If you've got 75,000 or 80,000 pounds on one truck. If you're hauling grain, or chickens, or coal. It's all the same, it doesn't matter," Sisk said.
The first reading of the ordinance passed unanimously a couple weeks ago, but Roberts says if passed, they're going to closely monitor it's affect on the county.
"I made a promise to our local loggers, that after one year of this ordinance being in effect, we would review this ordinance. We would strengthen it where needed, and we would roll back where needed and that's a promise we're going to keep," Roberts said.
The second reading of the logging ordinance is scheduled for September 4.
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Local loggers in Hopkins County including Tom Sisk say they aren't being treated fairly.
