SPENCER COUNTY, Ky. (WDRB) -- A dispute over county boundary lines between Shelby and Spencer counties will be a ballot issue this November. 

Because of an audit into voter registration in Shelby County, the State Board of Elections said several homes, more than 200 individual voters, were registered in the wrong county. The state's GIS online mapping tool, revealed homes that were believed to be in Spencer County, were actually part of Shelby County. 

For five years, Mina Schelling has called what she thought was Spencer County home. 

"We chose to buy land and buy our homes in Spencer County," said Schelling. "Now I'm being told it's actually Shelby County." 

Schelling said her titles and deeds are all registered in Spencer County. She's also paid taxes in Spencer County the last five years. 

It's the same situation her neighbors are in. 

Schelling's kids also attend Spencer County Schools. She's concerned the updated boundary line, will impact where her kids go to school.

"We actually moved to Spencer County for the Spencer County Schools," she said. 

For Schelling to keep her kids enrolled in Spencer County Schools beyond this year, that would become a year-by-year case.

"If we're going to have to file a hardship every year, and if they're at-capacity, will we be allowed to go to Spencer County Schools," she asks.

"They have these life-changing questions that was just thrown upon them," Spencer County Judge Executive Scott Travis said.

The updated boundary line shifts roughly 200 yards and splits up some neighborhoods, including Schelling's. Neighbors thought the boundary line was behind some homes, and followed a line of trees. The updated line now absorbs those homes, including Schelling's, into Shelby County, and divides p a neighborhood.

"It's not just, you move from one county to another, now your life is turned upside down," said Travis.

Travis listed a number of services residents would have to rely on Shelby County for, including: maintaining roads, EMS, fire, library, health department, soil conservation, sheriff's departments, coroner, animal control services, and recycling. 

Impacted residents petitioned to get a question on November's ballot which was authorized by the Shelby County Judge Executive. 

When voting in November's election, Shelby County residents will be asked if they will "surrender" approximately 925 acres to Spencer County.

If voters check "yes," the land will be under Spencer County's jurisdiction. If checked "no," the land will be under Shelby County's jurisdiction.

"It's not that they're (Shelby County) giving away something they had, it's just returning it back to Spencer County," said Schelling. 

Schelling hopes that, come November, she'll be a resident in the county she always thought she lived in.

"We love our Shelby County neighbors, but this is where we chose to sow our roots," she said.

If the ballot measure fails, Travis said he hopes to continue providing services to the residents previously believed to be Spencer County residents with an interlocal agreement between the two counties.

"You have to go through the Department of Local Government, through Frankfort, and get it all approved," Travis said. "The cost of those services, we will have to be reimbursed by the Shelby County coffers... we will have to put a dollar value on and be made whole." 

In the interim, residents that have fallen in the area of question still have access to Spencer County services and attend school in Spencer County. Although, families had to file a hardship to attend Spencer County Schools since they are non-residents, according to Schelling.

"I promised all the residents that until we get something resolved, all the services that the county provides, we provide the EMS, we maintain the roads, we pick up the stray animals. Among other things, those, those are the easiest," Travis said.

However, Schelling said its faced complications with police given the confusion in what county her home and others resides in. 

"We've had a series of break-ins and some of the neighborhoods that are impacted, and when calling the police in Spencer County, they're being told that they need to call Shelby County, and then Shelby County says that they can't service them, and so they need to call KSP and then KSP never showed up," Schelling said. "So we're already seeing, you know, a discrepancy in services, and that's a little bit concerning."

Shelby County Judge Executive Dan Ison provided this statement to WDRB when asked about the situation: 

"Several months ago the State Board of Elections notified Shelby County Clerk Tony Harover that there were Shelby County residents who were registered to vote in Spencer County.  While auditing the voter registrations in Shelby County, the State Board of Election, using GIS, discovered that those homes are in Shelby County. The Shelby County Clerk notified those residents that their voter registration would change and be recognized as Shelby County residents.

For years those approximately 200 residents were told they were Spencer County residents. They have voted, and have paid Spencer County taxes, their homes are deeded in Spencer County,  they have received Spencer County services, and their children have gone to Spencer County schools.

Those residents  petitioned my office to put the question on the ballot, and the question will appear on the ballot in November."

Shelby County Clerk, Tony Harover, who initially took action to notify the residents impacted, said he hopes the ballot measure fails. 

"The background on how and when this issue actually started is still unknown at this point but over the last 2 decades, it has become more complicated due to the growth and development of this corridor," Harover said in a statement provided to WDRB. "The petition to de-annex a swath of Shelby County and add it to Spencer County is an impulse reaction that forever changes the history of both counties.  While I empathize with the several hundred families impacted by this recent change, my stance is based on a long-term (200 years) historical perspective.  The proposed boundary change by the petitioners is a drastic change to the southern boundary of our county."

Harover pointed out the proposed new county boundary line, includes 27 parcels totaling around 350 acres have been taxed in Shelby County.

"To me, this proves that rushing a flawed and unverified proposal, is a recipe for more confusion and future problems in this area," Harover said. "A proposal of this magnitude, needs to be checked thoroughly before asking over 38,000 voters to change 200 years of historical precedent."

Harover added he is concerned the precedent this could set for future disputes over county lines. 

"I believe all of the issues presented by those in favor of this boundary change can be resolved via interlocal agreements," he said. 

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