Drama seeks funding from city; Anatok lawsuit keeps issue off the agenda

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette

Councilman John Royalty listens to a discussion during the first city council meeting of 2013. Click to enlarge.

Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013, 11:55 p.m. — In order to secure the financial future of the Stephen Foster Drama Association, the Bardstown City Council was asked at its meeting Tuesday night to consider making a donation to the group part of the city’s annual budget.

The annual presentation of “The Stephen Foster Story” has a long legacy as part of local tourism, drama board president Louis Ballard told the council Tuesday night.  “It’s the jewel of our summer tourism season.”

In addition to the Foster drama this summer, the drama association is bringing “Shrek the Musical” to the outdoor amphitheater. The drama association was one of the first groups to secure the rights to the musical, which finishes its national tour later this year.

But producing the Shrek musical won’t be cheap, and the association is actively seeking to broaden its base of financial support, Ballard said. The association recently received a $25,000 grant from the Bardstown-Nelson County Tourism and Convention Commission. Ballard said the Shrek musical will be a show that will boost tourism as well as attract local and regional attendance.

When asked to recommend a figure for an annual contribution by the city, Ballard suggested $10,000. “We would be tickled to death to get that,” he said. Two years ago, the City of Bardstown gave the drama association a $12,500 grant. Last year the council did not make a contribution.

The majority of the revenue that makes up the drama’s $800,000 budget comes from sales. Grants, sponsorships and donations make up about 27 percent of the association’s budgeted revenue, Ballard said.

The council took no action on the request.

Ann Rosalie Ballard, a former Bardstown city councilwoman, attended Tuesday’s meeting to discuss efforts to preserve Anatok, the antebellum mansion threatened with demolition.

ANATOK. Former Bardstown City Councilwoman Ann Rosalie Ballard attended Tuesday’s council meeting expecting to see her name on the agenda. Ballard said she called city hall and had requested to be placed on the agenda.

Ballard said she came to the council meeting to discuss the fight to preserve Anatok, the antebellum mansion on West John Fitch that was slated for demolition until a lawsuit was filed late last month. In comments prior to the meeting, Ballard said she had hoped to ask the council if it was possible to extend the city’s historic zoning district boundaries to include Anatok. Including the mansion in the historic district might help the fight for its preservation, she said.

But neither Ballard — nor Anatok — were on the agenda.

Near the end of the council meeting Mayor Bill Sheckles said he was aware some visitors wished to address the council about Anatok. “Being that there’s a lawsuit that’s been filed, we’re not at liberty to discuss it until this issue has been resolved,” Sheckles explained.

The defendants in the lawsuit include the joint city-county planning and zoning, which receives part of its funding from the city, he said, adding that it wasn’t appropriate for the council to discuss the issue.

UTILITY RATE DISPUTES. The council approved action taken last month by the city staff regarding the city taking part in legal action regarding Kentucky Utilities’ calculation of line losses of its power transmission lines. Consultants paid the the city have determined KU loss calculations are inaccurate, and participating in the protest can ultimately save the city on its wholesale electricity costs.

A similar protest is underway regarding KU’s calculations of Rate of Return on Equity, Larry Hamilton explained. “With interest as low as it is, 11 percent is higher than other rates,” Hamilton said. The protests will go to the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission with the goal of reaching a settlement without litigation, he said.

“There’s no way we can fight these unless we do it as a group,” Councilman Bobby Simpson said.

The council voted unanimously its approval of filings to protest both KU rates.

PTO 5K RUN. The council gave its approval for a 5K run slated for February sponsored by the Bardstown Primary and Elementary schhols PTO. Off-duty police officers will help ome city streets for the run. Councilman Roland Williams abstained from voting because of his employment for the city school system.

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