City agrees to purchase land for new fire department, future expansion

Joseph Strong, Connor Noonan and Justin Railey are sworn-in as the city’s newest firefighters during Tuesday night’s Bardstown City Council meeting.

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Tuesday, March 27, 2018 — The Bardstown City Council voted unanimously Tuesday night to spend $1.7 million to purchase three tracts of land totalling 15.4 acres that will be used to expand the city’s utility shop and storage facility and create a new Bardstown fire station.

The new fire station is planned for a 7.5-acre tract of land on KY245 that was formerly the home of Newcomb Oil Co. at 1360 East John Rowan Blvd. The purchase price of the former Newcomb Oil property is $940,000

The property already has several buildings that the city plans to put to use, including a 14,000-square-foot building for fire department housing and for housing fire apparatus.

The fire department is bursting at the seams, and the lack of more than a single shower for fire crews presents a safety hazard for firefighters returning from a fire scene. Burning materials at a fire scene expose firefighters to a variety of harmful chemicals and carcinogens, which require firefighters to have access to showers as soon as possible after returning to the fire station.

Mayor Dick Heaton said all three tracts adjoin other city properties, and create a rare opportunity for the city purchase land that will help it meet its future needs and give it room for future expansion.

The other two tracts the council agreed to purchase include a 2-acre tract located at the rear of the Bardstown Church of Christ, 1104 North Third St., priced at $160,000, and a 5.9 acre tract facing Padgett Drive, priced at approximately $600,000. Both tracts connect with the city shop building on Kelly Drive.

The properties will be purchased using unrestricted reserved in the combined utilities fund. The funds will repaid from the current fiscal year city budget and future budgets.

City Attorney Tim Butler, center, speaks with Councilman John Kelley prior to the start of Tuesday’s city council meeting.

Heaton said the city is already planning to repurpose some of the current fire department space into room for cable TV and internet head-end equipment. Once the fire department moves into its new headquarters, the department plans to keep two fire apparatus and a full-time crew stationed at the City Hall fire station.

When asked if the new property will mean a new police station, Heaton said a new building for police was not considered an immediate need.

CITY SHOP EXPANSION. The city’s shop located on Kelly Drive will benefit from the two other tracts the council agreed to purchase. The shop needs more space to house equipment under roof, as well as store parts out of the elements.

NEW FRANCHISE FEE TO HELP PAY GENERAL FUND EXPENSES. While Heaton was discussing the city’s plans to acquire the three tracts of additional property, he also said the city plans to create franchise agreement for Louisville Gas & Electric’s service to its customers in the city limits.

The city will create a new franchise agreement that will collect a 3 percent franchise fee from its customers. The fee will be used to help pay for the city’s general fund expense.

Heaton said with the planned capital expenses, this was the time to implement a franchise agreement.

ANONYMOUS CRIME TIP LINE. Bardstown Police Chief Kim Kraeszig told the council her department has established an anonymous crime tip line.

Callers are assured of anonymity, she said. The goal is to gather tips on crimes that have happened in the city.

Kraeszig said she and her two assistant chiefs are the only ones who will monitor the tip line. There is no caller ID on the line, and she asked those who call to leave as many details as possible since the police department members will not be able to call you back.

“We hope the community will use the tip line because we have lots of crimes out there, we have victims and we have families who want these crimes solved,” she said. “Its time to turn the the heat up on these cases and solve these cases. With the community’s help we can do that.”

In other business, the city council:

— watched as Heaton swore-in the city’s newest firefighters, Joseph Strong, Connor Noonan and Justin Railey.

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