Mayor: budget process is moving forward; council OKs Bloomfield water contract

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Tuesday, May 9, 2017 (Corrected 4th graf regarding budget amendment) — The Bardstown City Council got down to basic city business at its meeting Tuesday night.

MAYOR DICK HEATON

Mayor Dick Heaton told the council he’s been going through the budget, showing an annotated copy of the budget that’s he’s still reviewing with his department heads. He said the city’s finance committee will need to meet soon to review the budget and make its recommendations to the full council.

The city’s 2017-18 budget must be reviewed by the council and approved by the end of the fiscal year June 30.

BUDGET AMENDMENT. The council approved a $82,000 amendment to the current fiscal year budget that includes the funds paid for the costs of the investigation, including approximately $72,000 to Lexington attorney Scott Crosbie whose firm served as investigator and also presented the evidence at the public hearing. The additional $10,000 will cover other expenses, including a legal services provided by former city attorney Bruce Reynolds who is representing the council in former Mayor John Royalty’s lawsuit. Reynolds said by telephone Wednesday his bill to the city would be less than $2,500 (An earlier version of this story incorrectly reported his bill at a higher amount. The Gazette regrets the error).

BLOOMFIELD WATER CONTRACT. The council unanimously approved a request to increase the maximum amount of water the city sells to the City of Bloomfield by 3 million gallons per month to a max of 15 million gallons.

COUNCILMAN BILL SHECKLES

The request notes that Bloomfield’s water service area has increased from the time the original contract guaranteeing maximum of 12 million gallons of water per month to contract was signed in 1998. The new agreement from a max of 12 million to 15 million.

In other business, the council:

— approved the appointment of Councilman John Kelley to the Bardstown Industrial Development Corp. (BIDC). He will serve Mayor Dick Heaton’s unexpired term.

— approved a $500 donation request for the Nelson County Community Clinic in support of the clinic’s 5k run.

— fireworks permits for the New Hope Food Bank, the Buttermilk Days Foundation, and the Bloomfield Church of God.

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