Council approves Bark Park donation, moving its meeting start times to 6 p.m.

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Tuesday, July 9, 2019 — Tuesday’s Bardstown City Council meeting opened with the introduction and swearing-in ceremony of the city’s newest full-time firefighters, Scott Zachow and Jacob Snellen

Bardstown Fire Chief Billy Mattingly said both men started out as volunteer firefighters with the department. And starting with Tuesday night’s ceremony, Mattingly said family members would pin their badges to their uniforms.

After Mayor Dick Heaton finished the swearing-in ceremony, Scott Zachow’s fiance pinned his badge on his uniform while Jacob Snellen’s mother Ann Filiatreau, pinned on his badge.

Both men expressed their appreciation for the opportunity to serve the city as one of its full-time firefighter/EMTs.

BARK PARK DONATION. The council approved a donation request for $2,500 from the Bourbon City Bark Park.

According to Wilma Sorrell, The donation will help fund replacement of three broken security cameras at the park and to build a swing for additional seating in the small dog area of the park.

The park will use any extra funds to help with a project to have keyless entry for a restroom access.

The Bark Park is located on Loretto Road across from the camping area at My Old Kentucky Home State Park.

TV CHANNEL CHANGES. Nahom Ayele, the city’s chief information officer, told the council that the city’s cable TV system is going to add the ACC Network next month.

The new channel will make its planned debut on Aug. 22, 2019, and it will be devoted to Atlantic Coast Conference collegiate sports, in a similar manner as the SEC Network covers Southeastern Conference college sports.

Ayele explained that the additional channel’s extra cost will be mostly offset by the reduction in fees from Viacom and the Hallmark channel. The net additional cost for adding the ACC channel amounts to 63 cents more a month for Expanded Basic, he said.

An ordinance making the change will be presented at the next council meeting on July 23, 2019.

COUNCIL MEETING TIME CHANGE. The council held first reading of an ordinance that will move the working session and both regular council meetings to a new time — 6 p.m. The change will become effective following the second and final reading at the July 23 meeting and publication.

In other business, the council:

• awarded a bid for tree trimming services to Asplundh Tree Expert LLC for a rate of 98.83 per crew hour. The rate includes a three-person crew plus a bucket truck and a chipper. Asplundh submitted the only bid.

• approved first reading of changes to the city’s classification and compensation plan. The changes include the addition of two police officer positions, making the code enforcement officer position a full-time position, and increasing the number of firefighter/EMT positions from 9 to 11. The changes also create a program facilitator job in the parks and recreation department, and change the title of the systems engineer position to chief information officer.

NEXT UP. The Bardstown City Council next meets at 7 p.m. on Tuesday, July 23, 2019.

-30-