Shelby County Courthouse closed due to ‘bedbug infestation’

Story by David Mattingly

SHELBY COUNTY, Ky. (WAVE) – The Shelby County Courthouse Annex is closed due to a reported “bedbug infestation.”

An executive order posted to the front door of the Shelby County Clerk declared the sudden closure.

No one was more surprised than the Shelby County clerk, Tony Harover.

Harover said, “A few days ago, there was a spotting of, of a critter.”

That critter turned out to be a bedbug.

How it got there – no one knows.

An exterminator was called in to spray, who returned again on Thursday morning.

Harover said, “They sprayed it and we thought we were free and clear and spotted another one this morning when I got to the office.”

It was then determined the entire Shelby County Courthouse Annex needed to be fumigated.

Dan Ison, Shelby County judge-executive, said, “We’ve got to protect the employees, and we’ve got to protect the citizens, and we’re going to have to shut this building down so that we can do that for the good of the county.”

The building was closed, and the employees headed home.

The residents will have to wait a little longer to get their car tags.

Exterminators started working late Thursday on fumigating. Bedbugs will cost the county $20,000.

The county building is expected to reopen Monday.