Council OKs utility request; schedules public hearing for property tax rate review
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
Tuesday, Aug. 27, 2019 — The Bardstown City Council gave its approval to provide water and sewer services for the next phase of Big Springs subdivision, which is off American Drive near the former American Greetings plant off Woodlawn Road.
The new phase will include the construction of 27 new single-family homes.
According to city civil engineer Jessica Filiatreau, the sewer pump station serving the development does not have the capacity to serve the new phase; however, the developer and the city will enter into a cost-sharing agreement so that they developer will pay for the needed capacity that the city will need to add to upgrade the sewer pump station.
Filiatreau said the city will need to design the needed upgrades as the first state of the process.
“Once we have that new facility designed we will have real costs in hand,” she said.
The city budget does include funds for the replacement of the pump station, Filiatreau said.
The council approved the request 5-0, with Councilwoman Betty Hart abstaining.
PROPERTY TAX VOTE. The council held first reading Tuesday night on the 2019 tax rate that will leave the real estate and personal property tax rates the same as last year.
This means that if you’re property valuation assessment did not change, your city taxes will be the same as last year.
Leaving the rate the same — 17.9 cents per $100 of valuation — was the recommendation to the city council from both Tracey Hudson, the city’s chief financial officer, and Bardstown Mayor Dick Heaton.
Leaving the tax rate the same will generate approximately $70,000 in additional tax revenue. Any tax rate that creates additional tax rate will require a public hearing.
The council has scheduled a public hearing for 5:50 p.m. Tuesday, Sept. 10, 2019, at the council chambers next to the Recreation Center. Mayor Dick Heaton said the council intends to give the tax rate a final approval at that evening’s council meeting.
EVENT ROAD CLOSURES. The council approved road closure requests for three upcoming events, including:
- Arts, Crafts & Antiques Fair, Oct. 12-13, 2019;
- Tri-County Kentucky United Way 5k walk/run, Saturday, Sept. 21, 2019;
- Craft Beer Festival on Saturday, Oct. 19, 2019.
In other business, the council:
- approved first reading of a supplement to the city’s code of ordinances, which will update the published ordinances.
- approved moving the council cable TV/ electric meeting start time back by half an hour to 4:30 p.m..
- Heaton noted that a revised request for five dates for local bars to stay open to 2 a.m. had failed so far to find a council member to sponsor the measure and bring it before the council for a possible vote.
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