Maple Hill residents ask council for help to improve West Stephen Foster area

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette

David Clark was one of several Maple Hill residents who spoke at Tuesday night’s Bardstown City Council meeting about improving their neighborhood. Click to enlarge.

Tuesday, Jan. 14, 2014, 11:55 p.m. — Maple Hill residents attended Tuesday’s City Council meeting to further discuss the issues they have observed at the Broken Tee Night Club complex at 709 West Stephen Foster.

Sheckles explained that the earlier issues with the property have been largely resolved. Elm Grove resident Danielle Jones told the council there was a lot of ongoing drug activity. Sheckles explained that the police can only act when there’s evidence of wrongdoing, and that he believed the property owner and tenants were making a good-faith efforts to improve the property.

Center Street resident David Clark asked the council if it was ever determined who operated the other auto-related garage in the complex. Sheckles turned to Councilman Francis Lydian and asked what he knew about it, since the business in question is adjacent to Lydian’s business, Lydian Body Shop, which is located in the same building.

“There’s a business there, but I don’t mettle in other people’s business,” he said. “I take care of my side.”

“But you are a council member aren’t you?” Clark asked.

Councilman Francis Lydian gestures during discussion Tuesday night about his business, which is part of the Broken Tee complex at 709 W. Stephen Foster.

“Yes I am a council member, but I don’t have the authority to meddle with someone’s property. I can only go so far,” Lydian replied. “I’m not going to get my head blowed off.”

“That’s exactly what we’re speaking of,” Clark told the council. “The kind of people you’re talking about is what we are talking about in my neighborhood.”

“If you all are that concerned, you should go meet your neighbors,” Sheckles told the residents.

Jones said she had tried meeting her neighbors at the complex but they didn’t want anything to do with her. ” ‘Meet your neighbor’ only goes as far as your neighbor is willing to meet you,” she said.

Councilman Tommy Reed suggesting checking business license records to determine the business owner.

Councilman John Royalty said he believed there were city ordinances in violation at the complex. “There are violations not only there, but in other places around the city,” he said. Enforcement action on all violators should be pursued.

Sheckles told the residents to take their complaints to the next BAND committee meeting. “They’re in the process of making it work and progress is being made, though not as fast as the neighbors might like,” he concluded.

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