Mayor gives neighborhoods group updates on projects, listens to concerns
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
Bardstown Mayor John Royalty, right, talks with Kathy Graham, his administrative assistant, prior to the start of Monday’s B.A.N.D. meeting.
Monday, Jan. 26, 2015, 11:30 p.m. — Bardstown Mayor John Royalty was the guest speaker at Monday meeting of Bardstown’s Active Neighborhoods Delegation — BAND — in order to give the group an update on some of its concerns expressed at its last meeting in July.
Since taking office as the city’s new mayor, Royalty told the group he hit the ground running and has busy ever since. “I’ve been like Forrest Gump,” he joked, “I’ve been kept running and running.”
Bardstown’s Active Neighborhoods Delegation — consists of residents from all areas of town who meeting regularly to discussion neighborhood problems with Councilmen Roland Williams and Bobby Simpson. Royalty’s updates were welcome because a number of the issues remain to be addressed, members said.
Councilman Roland Williams listens as a resident talks about Withrow Court truck traffic.
WESTERN BYPASS. Royalty told the group that a western bypass to connect Boston Road with KY 245 — an idea discussed at the last BAND meeting — isn’t likely to happen due to the state’s commitment to existing projects. The state’s longer range projects in Nelson County include widening US150 to Springfield and completing rebuilding US31E north to the Salt River Bridge.
WATER SOURCE. Royalty acknowledged that he and the council took to heart comments at earlier BAND meetings about finding a new long-term water source — a topic also brought up at council meetings in recent years. There are some discussion under way, and Royalty said that he hoped to have more information to share soon.
EDGEWOOD/CATHEDRAL MANOR ODOR. Residents all over Bardstown have complained about the foul smells apparently coming from the Barton Brands treatment lagoons as well as the city’s treatment lagoons at the Gilkey Run sewer treatment plant.
Teresa Maddox makes a point during Monday night’s B.A.N.D. meeting.
Royalty said the distillery has struggled for months with its treatment lagoons due to killing off the microorganisms that digest the waste. The odors were also generated when the distillery — and later the city at its Gilkey Run sewer plant — cleaned their treatment lagoons.
The company has spent a lot of money on its lagoon issues, Royalty said. “I think they’re on track with it now,” he said.
LIGHTING THE CITY’S WESTERN ENTRANCE. Therese Johnson, owner of Maple Hill Accounting, asked Royalty about a earlier request from Maple Hill residents to improve the lighting along West Stephen Foster. The existing lighting leaves large areas that remain unlit at night, and better lighting will help reduce drug trafficking and crime, she said. Royalty said he has asked the city’s engineering staff to look how to best ways to affordably improve the lighting in the area, including LED lighting, which last longer but is more expensive to install.
TRUCK TRAFFIC. A Withrow Court resident asked Williams and Simpson if the City can do anything to slow the tractor-trailer traffic in the area. The opening of new warehouse space has increased the number of trucks. Royalty said he would ask the city’s engineering staff to make a recommendation for what changes might be appropriate to address the problem.
In his closing remarks to the group, Royalty said he has an open-door policy for anyone who has a problem or concern.
SEWING FACTORY LOT MAINTENANCE. A resident who lives near the former sewing factory lot on the corner of Allison and East Forrest told the mayor and councilmen that the empty lot is not well cared for. Grass gets high and the lot becomes a haven for snakes. Royalty said he would check on who is responsible for the mowing of the city-owned lot and check on making sure it is mowed and maintained.
NEXT UP. BAND will meet again on Monday, July 27, 2015.
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