Council honors Francis Lydian’s legacy of ‘untiring and faithful service’ to city

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Tuesday, Nov. 12, 2019 –– The Bardstown City Council honored former Councilman Francis G. Lydian at its meeting Tuesday night with a resolution that detailed his 32 years of service as a councilman, his service to his country in the military, noting that “his untiring and faithful service made him a most valuable asset to the City of Bardstown.”

Lydian was also remembered with a moment of silence when Mayor Dick Heaton opened the council meeting.

Lydian served as a councilman for 34 years.

Councilman Roland Williams asked the council about naming the new conference room that will be part of the new Station 1 fire station on KY 245 in honor of Lydian. Lydian was part of the city’s safety committee — the committee that dealt with fire department, police department issues — and Williams said it would be fitting to dedicate the fire station’s new meeting room in his honor. The council approved the move.

CFO SEARCH. Heaton and HR Director Greg Ashworth updated the council on the search for a new chief financial officer.

The job was posted in the local paper, on the city website, as well as popular job boards online, Ashworth explained. The posting attracted more than 30 applicants, many of whom were well qualified for the position.

The search committee has interviewed several candidates and is in the process of vetting possible candidates for the job. Ashworth said he hopes to have the new CFO hired and on the job by the middle of December.

“We’ve had a great pool of applicants,” he told the council.

BOURBON CAPITAL AIRPORT SIGN. The council approved paying for half of a large sign that will be placed at Samuels Field airport declaring that Bardstown is indeed, the Bourbon Capital of the World.

The Bardstown-Nelson County Tourist Commission will pay for one-fourth of the sign’s $11,500 cost. The Bardstown-Nelson County Air Board will pay for an additional one-fourth of the cost.

The council voted to pay the balance of $5,750 on the sign.

The sign — measuring more than 55 feet long — will be mounted on a hanger at the airport facing the runway and taxiway so incoming aircraft will see it.

Heaton said the airport has kept the price of aviation fuel low, and that has made Samuels Field an attractive stop for aviation enthusiasts.

In other business, the council:

— voted to honor longtime Bardstown Fire Chief Arch Pendergrass by naming the entrance road to the new Fire Station 1 as Arch Pendergrass Way. The new fire station is located at the former Newcomb Oil Co. property on KY 245 next to the state highway garage.

— approved a $2,200 change order for repairs to the water tank at the Nelson County Industrial Park. The change order is to purchase and install a new ladder gate, which is a shield that prevents unauthorized individuals from climbing the water tank ladder. The hinge on the original shield was missing and in order to avoid liability and safety issues, the contractor recommended replacing the ladder gate.

The repairs and painting of the water tank is scheduled to be completed by Friday, Nov. 15, 2019.

— approved a change order that affects a pump station on the Rowan Creek sewer line. The $1,140.36 change order is to pay for additional piping fixtures, and for the actual cost to reconnect electrical service at the pump station.

— The council approved an amendment to the joint city-county zoning regulations to allow the B1 PUD classification in all village communities as designated in the Comprehensive Plan.

Currently, the B1 PUD is only available in Bardstown, Deatsville and Hunters village areas. The B1 PUD allows businesses to build buildings up to 10,000 square feet. If approved, the change will allow plans for a Dollar General store in the Cox’s Creek area north of Bardstown to move forward.

— approved a request by the Bardstown Main Street program to close part of the Court Square and the first block of North Third Street for the 2019 Light Up Bardstown event.

— approved a request to close Bardstown streets in support of the Bardstown-Nelson County Kiwanis Christmas Parade set for 6 to 7 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 5, 2019.

— approved a rate schedule for wholesale water contracts covering 2020 through 2024.

— gave final approval to changes that set the job title and pay schedule for water treatment plant operator positions.

— gave final approval for a five-year property tax abatement for Takigawa Corporation America in the Nelson County Industrial Park.

NEXT UP: The Bardstown City Council next meets at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, Nov. 26, 2019.

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