City Council seeks detailed labor breakdown for Rec. Center flooring repairs

By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Tuesday, Nov. 24, 2020 — The Bardstown City Council devoted a substantial part of its meeting Tuesday night discussing a substantial change order concerning repairs of the city’s Rec. Center gym behind Spalding Hall on Xavier Drive.

The project involved repairs to the floor and subfloor of the gym floor. According to Daniel Jefferies, the city’s recreation director, the contractor found substantial rotten floor joists once the flooring in the gym was removed, requiring the replacement of all the floor joists. Jefferies said the contractor discussed the fact that the additional work required more labor and materials; however, the cost of the extra labor and materials was never calculated — until the city received a change order as the repairs were just about completed.

Mayor Dick Heaton said he understood the additional costs of the needed materials, and labor, but the change order lacked detail on the amount of additional labor required. The additional work added six weeks to the project.

“We think the materials (cost) is in line, but $10,000 in labor is not in line,” he said.

Councilman Joe Buckman, a contractor with extensive work renovating local historic properties, said he understood how hidden damage often can pop up during a project on an old building. Buckman said the contractor should be able to provide more detail about the additional labor.

Though the contractor inspected the floor joists before the project was approved, Buckman said some of the damage couldn’t have been seen until the flooring was removed.

After additional discussion, the council tabled the change order in order to get a more detailed breakdown of the labor charges.

PACKAGE LIQUOR LICENSES. The Bardstown City Council approved a resolution to seek additional package liquor licenses for the City of Bardstown. Right now, the city is allocated 12 licenses, and all of those are currently spoken for.

According to Mayor Dick Heaton, the number of package liquor licenses are tied to the population, but the city doesn’t need to wait for the upcoming release of the 2020 Census to seek approval for up to 8 additional package liquor licneses.

City Attorney Audrey Haydon said she is working with other community leaders to assemble documentation that can justify asking the state to allocate additional licenses to the city.

LANDFILL LEACHATE LINE. The council approved a request by the Nelson County Landfill to provide sanitary sewer service for a line that pump leachate from the landfill to the Jerry Riley Wastewater Treatment Plant on Gilkey Run Road.

The city currently accepts leachate from the landfill from a smaller line that has been in service for a number of years. With the landfill’s upcoming expansion, a larger, higher capacity line is required.

In other business, the council:

— approved a request for water service for a future development of a new section of Southfork Estates.

— approved a change order aimed at improving drainage for a lagoon at the Jerry Riley Wastewater Treatment plant.

— approved a resolution regarding the city’s Kentucky Infrastructure Loan.

NEXT UP. The next regular Bardstown City Council meeting is 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 8, 2020.

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