Mayor: City’s utility, road crews prepared for arrival of predicted winter storm
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
Tuesday, Feb. 9, 2021 — With an ice storm warning from the National Weather Service predicting varying accumulations of ice across Nelson County, Bardstown Mayor Dick Heaton said city utility crews and street crews are prepared to clear city streets, handle possible power outages and other utility issues.
Heaton said the city’s crews on Tuesday were prepping for the coming storm. “We’re preparing for the worst, but hoping for the best,” he told the council.
Accumulations of ice can cause tree limbs to break and fall, and bring down power and cable TV and internet lines.
Heaton asked city utility customers to report their outages and have patience while crews work to restore service.
INTERNET COVERAGE. Networking engineer Nahom Ayele gave the city council a presentation about the areas of the county serviced by Bardstown Connect. The presentation followed a presentation by Charter Communications to Nelson Fiscal Court about that company’s plan to provide broadband internet to underserved areas of Nelson County.
Charter’s plan focused on areas that the Federal Communications Commission had identified as underserved, though in some areas there was considerable overlap between Charter’s area and those served now by the City of Bardstown.
The city continues to examine new areas to expand the cable TV and internet service, Ayele told the council, showing a map of possible expansion areas already identified.
In other business, the council:
— approved a request to extend a water main to serve 10 single-family homes that will be built in Ashbrooke Meadows subdivision off Poplar Flat Cemetery Road.
— approved second reading of a budget amendment to reflect additional income and grant money the city received after the city budget was effective on July 1, 2020.
— approved a sign request by Bethlehem High School under the city’s campus master sign plan. The additional sign will bring the school’s total to five signs.
— approved the low bidders for the city’s bulk chemical supplies for the city’s water treatment and wastewater treatment plants.
— approved a bid of $113,635 from Duro Beam for a the cost of a new cable/internet building. The building is pre-engineered steel building 125 feet long, 80 feet wide, and 18 feet tall.
— held a nearly hour-long closed session to discuss possible litigation. No action was taken following the council’s return to open session.
NEXT UP. The council’s next meeting is 6 p.m. Tuesday, Feb. 23, 2021.
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