Council considers long-term planning, approves billing cycle changes

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Tuesday, April 28, 2015, 10 p.m. — The members of the Bardstown City Council agreed Tuesday night to adopt suggestions to do more long-term planning as recommended by Councilman Fred Hagan.

Councilman Fred Hagan explains the need for the council to consider long-range planning.

Hagan shared with the council a list of priorities he drafted from his earlier stint on the council as an example for what the council and city hall staff could achieve by working together — especially when the annual budget is under consideration.

“Its something we need to work,” he told the council. “It’s something that needs the mayor’s support, the council’s support and the staff’s support.”

The long-term planning document could be updated annually to reflect the changing needs of the city and that of its utilities and support staff.

Mayor John Royalty suggested the council delay working on the long-term planning until work on the 2015-16 budget is completed.

Tracy Hudson, chief financial officer, answers questions during the April 28, 2015 Bardstown City Council meeting.

ADDITIONAL UTILITY BILLING CYCLE. The council gave final approval to a new ordinance that provides for up to two additional billing cycles for the city’s various utilities. Currently, the billing department sends out bills twice a month.

At a council meeting earlier this year, Mike Abell, the city’s former chief financial officer, recommended adding a third billing cycle in order to spread the workload throughout the month. The new ordinance allows for a fourth billing cycle should it be deemed necessary. Along with final approval of the additional billing cycles, the council also approved the necessary modifications to its ordinances regulating garbage collection, water, wastewater, electric and cable TV.

SMITHSONIAN CHANNEL GOING DARK. The Smithsonian Channel — available only on the city cable TV system’s “HD Xtreme” premium tier — will go dark Thursday night unless the city council agrees to move the channel to city’s “Digital Basic” tier.

City Electrical Engineer Jeff Mills and Public Works Director Larry Hamilton look over paperwork during Tuesday’s city council meeting.

City Electrical Engineer Jeff Mills explained that the city’s cable TV programming committee had requested an extension so it could poll subscribers and determine if their was viewer interest in moving the channel to Digital Basic.

Only 130 people subscribe to the channel, Mills explained, including one of the members of the cable programming committee, who Mills said was his favorite cable TV channel.

Mills explained that adding Smithsonian to Digital Basic would raise the costs of that tier by 4 percent. “It doesn’t affect the budget, it only affects the rate,” he explained. “If we add it, the rate goes up 4 percent.”

Digital Basic currently costs $8.39 on top of the cost of Basic cable ($18.86 inside the city limits and $23.61 in the county) and Expanded Basic ($36.84).

Councilman Roland Williams casts a vote during Tuesday’s city council meeting.

FIREWORKS PERMIT. The council approved a permit request from St. Catharine’s College for a fireworks booth that will be located at the Wilson & Muir Bank branch at 100 W. John Rowan near the Dollar General Market. The booth permit allows it to operate from Monday, June 22 through July 6. It will be staffed by USA Fireworks and SCC personnel.

HISTORIC REVIEW BOARD. The council approved five certificates of appropriateness (COAs) for proposed building changes inside the city’s Historic Review Board.

COA-15-08. Approval of a request from the Knights of Columbus to replace two existing roof-mounted HVAC units with three new ones.

COA-15-09. Approval of a request from Joetta Marie, applicant and KAT Properties, owner, for a bracketed sign and new color awning material at a business located at 119 North Third St.

Councilwoman Kecia Copeland comments during Tuesday’s city council meeting.

COA-15-10. Approval for a request by Darrell Hawkins to replace the columns, porch and landscaping at a home at 302 South Third St. The HRB also recommended approval of a Conditional Use Permit to use the former Sunbeam Laundry building as a personal office.

COA-15-12. Approval of a request by Margaret Ballard to replace the storm door and entrance door at 202 South First St.

COA-15-14. Approval for a request by Don Comer for a wheelchair ramp at his home at 111 South Third St.

TAX EXEMPTION REPEALED. The council gave final approval of an ordinance that repeals an existing ordinance that provided manufacturing establishments with a five-year tax moratorium. Former CFO Mike Abell said the ordinance was vague, and recommended its repeal.

REZONING. The council gave final approval of a rezoning request to rezone 1.223 acres at 971 Bloomfield Road (US 62) from R-2 (Two-family Residential District) to B-3 (Regional Retail Business District).

NEXT UP. The Bardstown City Council will meet next at a working session set for 5 p.m. May 5.

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