Bardstown City Council approves $1.354 million bid for fire department renovations

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Tuesday, July 2, 2019 — The Bardstown City Council awarded the bid for renovation of the former Newcomb Oil building on KY245 for the city’s main fire station to Marksbury Cornett of Louisville.

The initial bid of $1.4 million featured an offset of $96,000 of “value engineering” that could lower the final price, making the city’s final cost of $1.354 million.

Architect Charles Keyes explained that “value engineering” amounted to suggestions by contractors for ways the city could save money by using different materials or deleting some non-critical portions of the project.

Keyes said contractors were asked “If you had to change your bid, what would you change (to lower the final price).”

Marksbury Cornett’s bid was lowered by 10 or 12 things on the project, Keyes explained.

BUTTERMILK DAYS DONATION. The council approved a donation request of $2,500 from the Buttermilk Days Foundation for its festival set for Aug. 22-24, 2019.

According to the group’s application, the festival is the city’s third-largest festival, which will be celebrating its 25th year this year.

The application noted that the money will be used for security, parking and street clean up after the event.

Former Councilwoman Kecia Copeland spoke to the council and thanked it for its previous support and for consideration of its current request.

The council approved the request unanimously with Councilman Bill Sheckles abstaining.

MEETING SCHEDULE CHANGES. Mayor Dick Heaton asked the council members their thoughts on the necessity of holding three council meetings each month.

The council has two regular meetings at 7 p.m. on the second and fourth Tuesdays of the month. A third meeting — a working session — is held at 5 p.m. on the first Tuesday of the month.

Heaton asked if the council saw a problem with deleting the working session meeting. If an issue arose that needed resolution, the council could hold a special-called meeting.

Councilman Bill Sheckles suggested that instead of deleting the working session from the meeting schedule, that the mayor and/or council cancel the working session if it isn’t needed that month.

Councilman Roland Williams noted that the business discussed at special-called meetings are limited to the items on the agenda and nothing more. He supported leaving the working session in the meeting calendar and canceling it if it wasn’t needed.

Councilman David Dones asked if the meeting schedule could be rearranged so that the council members could attend the planning commission meetings. The planning commission also meets on the fourth Tuesday of the month.

Councilman Joe Buckman asked if the meeting time for the regular meetings could be moved up from 7 p.m.

After additional discussion, the council agreed to leave the meeting schedule alone, but to move the meeting times for all three to 6 p.m.

City Attorney Audrey Hayden will bring the council an ordinance making the revision at an upcoming council meeting.

NEXT UP. The council will next meet at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 9, 2019, in the council chambers next to the Rec. Center on Xavier Drive.

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