Distillery lagoon stench is on the minds — and noses — of city residents
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
Wednesday, June 24, 2015, 9 a.m. — The putrid smell of the treatment lagoons at Barton 1792 Distillery are on the mind — and in the noses — of Bardstown residents.
Councilman Bobby Simpson speaks during Tuesday’s council meeting.
At Tuesday’s Bardstown City Council meeting, two Bardstown residents spoke out about the ongoing problem of the smell coming from the lagoons — a problem that has continued to plague residents of Bardstown in neighborhoods near the facility.
“One doesn’t like to say it out loud, but this ‘Most Beautiful City’ often has a malodorous air,” one resident told the council.
Residents have been patient while work has been performed to fix the problems at the distillery, and she pointed out that the smell was not that of mash cooking.
“To quote an old saying, mash is the smell of prosperity,” she said. “We don’t want to have a new saying — How do you spell malodorous — B- A- R -T-O-N — or even worse, B-A-R-D-S-T-O-W-N.”
Bardstown resident Mary Drake also spoke about the smell from the distillery’s treatment lagoons, saying that the smell at times causes her to experience headaches, nausea and sneezing. Drake said if something isn’t done about the smell, tourism in Bardstown will eventually suffer.
Drake said the smell sometimes reaches the J. Dan Talbott Amphitheater during performance of “The Stephen Foster Story.”
Councilman Bill Buckman listens to visitor comments during Tuesday’s city council meeting.
“It’s a serious problem we need to take care of,” she told the council.
Bardstown Mayor John Royalty said he and Public Works Director Larry Hamilton met with representatives of Bartons recently to discuss the issue.
The company is planning to invest hundreds of thousands of dollars to put in another system, Royalty said.
“They’re doing everything they can to be better neighbors,” he said. The company is aware of the importance to tourism, particularly bourbon-related tourism, which is why they’re willing to invest to correct the problem.
CHANGE ORDER. The council approved paying a $18,730 change order to C&S Quality Services LLC for installing support structure for new baffle curtains in the City of Bardstown’s three clearwell tanks at the city’s water treatment plant on Boston Road.
The existing bracing structure for the curtains is affected by chlorine, and most of the bracing in the three tanks needs to be replaced. The brackets and mounting parts issue wasn’t uncovered until the crews were in the tanks removing the curtains, city engineer Jessica Filiatreau told the council.
In other action, the council:
— following an executive session to discuss litigation, the council approved authorizing the mayor to make a final offer to settle a lawsuit filed against the city by Scott & Ritter, a Bowling Green-based construction firm.
— approved a revised and simplified classification and compensation plan. The plan is the result of a study conducted by consultant Paul Combs. Unlike earlier compensation plans, the new one does not include individual job descriptions. Job descriptions will be approved by municipal order in order to allow updates without the process of approving of new ordinance.
— approved closing Xavier Drive between City Hall and Spalding Hall for the Old Kentucky Home Bicycle Tour on Sept. 12.. The organization uses Xavier Drive as the starting and finishing points for its annual bike tour.
— approved street closures requested for the Buttlermilk Days festival on South Third Street from Aug. 20-23, 2015.
— approved a tax moratorium request from Scarlett Hibbs for a property at 106 East Broadway.
— reviewed and approved four Historic Review Board certificates of appropriateness recommendations.
— announced the council will hold a special council meeting 5 p.m. Thursday, June 25.
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