OLDHAM COUNTY, KY - Several hundred Oldham County residents have signed a petition opposing plans to build a new jail and fairgrounds on land from the state Department of Corrections.

Opponents expressed concerns that both projects could become tax burdens. Their petition was presented to the Oldham County Fiscal Court, which appointed a committee to further study the projects.

Bruce LeFan, who lives on a farm near the proposed site, said he was alarmed at the secrecy surrounding the plans, which include building a new jail and fairgrounds on 75 acres that the county is expected to get from a land transfer deal.

LeFan and resident Ed Boles spent a month working on a presentation that raised questions such as who will pay for an environmental impact study, and included a financial overview of jails from the state auditor.