WAVE asks to place camera on Court Square; city OKs storm water study
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette
Friday, July 27, 2012, 1 p.m. — Meeting in regular session Tuesday evening, the Bardstown City Council spent nearly 2-1/2 hours working its way through a busy agenda.
Councilman Tommy Reed listens to discussion regarding the storm water study to be performed by CDP Enginering. Click to enlarge.
STORM WATER STUDY. The council gave Mayor Bill Sheckles approval to enter into a work order agreement with CDP Engineering for work that will include a study and mapping of the city’ storm water system as well as the five watersheds inside the corporate city limits.
City engineer Jessica Filiatreau explained that the work is required to evaluate storm water flow in the city and how it impacts the watersheds. The project will also identify problems in the city’s storm water infrastructure.
The project will be done in phases, but Filiatreau estimated the first phase will cover about 40 percent of the city’s storm water system. The Withrow Creek watershed is where most of the city’s storm water drainage flows, she said.
The study will provide information to help understand the existing storm water problems in the city limits and help improve planning for future development, she said.
“My vision is this will help us manage our storm water issues,” she said.
The first phase will cost approximately $80,000.
Councilmen Fred Hagan and Joe Buckman look over documents during the Tuesday, July 24th city council meeting. Click to enlarge.
RF CABLE TV SYSTEM SWEEP. The council approved awarding a contract for RF “sweeping” of portions of the city’s cable TV system.
Sweeping the cable TV system is a process that uses radio frequency energy to evaluate the components of the cable distribution system. Devices that are not performing to specifications are adjusted or replaced to maintain the cable system’s performance level.
Jason Compton Inc. submitted a bid of 12 cents per foot for a total of $54,000. City engineer Jeff Mills said the work will focus on the area of greatest need in the cable system.
RECYCLING GRANT. The council approved bids to purchase additional equipment for the city’s recycling program using a state $30,480 grant.
The grant will pay for more dumpsters to equip two new recycling trailers for plastic and cardboard. Each 18-foot tandem trailer has one 8-yard and one 6-yard dumpster.
Additional trailers are needed due to the large amount of plastic and cardboard dropped off for recycling. Green said the city’s options were to empty the existing trailers more often or add more trailers.
The grant will also pay for two additional steel mesh containers and a new cardboard bailer for use at Nelson County Industries where the recyclables are sorted.
WAVE-TV REMOTE COURT SQUARE CAMERA. The council listened to a presentation by a representative of Louisville’s WAVE-TV regarding placement of a remote camera on top of the Hurst Drugs building on Court Square.
The $12,000 camera system requires a broadband Internet connection and a connection to AC power. The property owner has agreed to supply electricity for the camera, and WAVE was asking the City of Bardstown to provide the high-speed Internet connection.
The camera would be mounted on a 10-foot pole and would be aimed at Court Square. Video and images from the camera would be used during WAVE’s weather forecasts and available 24/7 via the Internet. WAVE is seeking eight sites across its viewing area for similar cameras.
Councilman Joe Buckman said he believed placing the camera on top of building in the city’s historic district would need to be approved by the Historic Review Board. The camera would be visible from the street.
The camera system is being paid for by a sponsor; however WAVE will be able to make revenue with the system by taking on additional sponsorships.
Councilman Francis Lydian listens during the council’s July 24, 2012 meeting. Click to enlarge.
Pen Bogert. the HRB preservation administrator, agreed that the roof-mounted camera would need to be submitted for review. Following the council meeting, Sheckles asked Bogart if the camera could simply be OK’d by the staff.
The council reviewed a draft of a contract with WAVE but took no action.
REZONING REQUESTS. The council voted to approve second and final readings on two rezoning requests.
The first was to change the zoning for a portion of the Crystal Building on North Third Street to allow a proposed restaurant to sell alcohol at that location. The change was requested by Kreso Properties, LLC. The second approval was to amend portions of the joint city-county zoning regulations.
In other business, the council:
– Approved two recommendations from the Design Review Board on construction of new commercial buildings. The first request was for a 4,000 sq. ft. body shop to be built at Conway-Heaton on North Third St.; the second approval was for a 6,200 sq. ft. retail and storage building proposed by Tony Hagan.
– Approved changes to its solid waste and sewer ordinances, both dealing with how the services are billed.
In the past, everyone who was on city sewers and used city garbage collection also used city electricity, Mike Abell, the city chief financial officer told the council. With the annexations over the years, more properties no longer have a city utility account.
The change allows the city to place the garbage and sewer charges on the landlord’s account.
– tabled a request for an assessment moratorium from the owners of 206 West Flaget Ave. because of missing information on the application. When granted, the moratorium keeps the city’s assessed value of that property at a given level for a five-year period while renovations or improvements are under way.
– The council approved a bid to repaint the inside and outside of the Balltown water tank. Preferred Sandblasting and Painting’s $60,450 bid covers sandblasting the tank inside and out and making needed repairs.
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