City council committee reviews funding requests for FY 2018 capital projects
Councilwoman Kecia Copeland, right, asks a question during Wednesday’s meeting of the council’s street and solid waste committee while Councilman Roland Williams, center, and Public Works Superintendent Ben Burd, left, listen.
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
Wednesday, May 3, 2017 — The Bardstown City Council’s Street & Solid Waste Committee met Wednesday afternoon to review budget requests for the Fiscal Year 2017-18.
Jessica Filiatreau, the city’s civil engineer, shared with the committee a list of capital projects proposed for funding in the 2017-18 budget.
REAR CITY HALL PARKING LOT. The rear parking lot at City Hall is in need of repaving, Filiatreau said. But rather than simply making repairs and repaving the area, she would like to make improvements to traffic flow and correct some drainage issues.
The project would make use of the latest stormwater best management practices and serve as an example of the ways even parking lot improvements can address issues of stormwater quality.
“It was just something I was trying to create,” she said. The estimated $150,000 cost would be split among the city’s departments.
Councilman Joe Buckman said he was in favor of project if it could be done so affordably.
Filiatreau said grant programs are available to help with funding, but a project has to be designed before grant funding can be sought.
MULTIUSE PATH. The city has applied for Transportation Alternative Program matching grant money to extend the multiuse path at East John Rowan and US62 west to the area of West John Rowan and Lincoln Way.
The grant money would help fund the $138,000 project and would require the city to provide matching funds. The final decision on the TAP grant awards won’t happen until after June 30, Filiatreau said.
FOURTH & FLAGET DRAINAGE. The list of projects include one to relieve drainage issues in the area of Fourth and Flaget Avenue. The project, at an estimated cost of $110,000, will install drains that will connect with an existing storm drain about a half-block south.
The presence of standing water has long been a nuisance to residents of the area, and has been detrimental to the road surface.
Additional street projects on the list include sidewalk improvements ($50,000); milling and resurfacing city streets ($500,000); and street lights for new subdivisions ($50,000); and a one-ton dump truck ($50,000, the cost of which would be shared by several departments).
She also said the city’s solid waste department would like to buy a used front-load garbage truck to serve as a back up for the existing truck the city bought new two years ago. A used truck would cost an estimated $150,000.
Filiatreau also said she would like to propose adding an additional staff engineer in the next budget. The new engineer would help her with her workload. The new hire’s salary would be split among three departments.
STORMWATER & INSPECTIONS. The committee discussed adjusting the city’s inspection fee schedule so that sites that require more inspections will pay fees to help offset those inspection costs. Some sites require only a single inspection visit, while larger and more complex construction sites require as many as seven visits.
The committee took not action and did not make any recommendations on the proposed capital projects.
The committee members in attendance at Wednesday’s meeting included city council members Joe Buckman, Roland Williams and Kecia Copeland; city civil engineer Filiatreau; Mayor Dick Heaton; and Public Works Superintendent Ben Burd.
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