Bardstown City Council OKs $73.6 million FY 2023 budget, internet expansion plans
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio
Tuesday, June 28, 2022 — The Bardstown City Council gave final approval Tuesday night to the city’s $73.6 million Fiscal Year 2023 budget.
The budget includes $20 million in utility infrastructure projects, as well as $100,000 committed to the preliminary design and field work for a multipurpose indoor recreation facility.
The 2023 budget also includes $850,000 for street and sidewalk repairs and upgrades, and $1.4 million to help expand broadband internet to underserved areas and improve access to high-speed fiber within the city.
The council also approved first reading of a budget amendment for the current budget year in order for the year to end with a balanced budget.
CITY/COUNTY INTERNET PROJECT. The council approved a memorandum of agreement between the city and county governments for a project that will use county American Rescue Plan Act funds to extend the city’s high-speed internet service into currently unserved areas of Nelson County.
The projects will be built over the next three years or so. The county’s financial participation makes the expansion possible by reducing the cost of each expansion.
The list of expansion projects includes the following roads:
- Whitesides Road / Hobbs Lane
- Ashes Creek Road
- Hwy 1066 / Hawk Ridge
- Nat Rogers Road / Ice Road
- Holy Cross Road / Jim Clark Road
- Vittitow Ford Road
The county remains in discussion with other internet providers regarding potential internet expansion projects on Fairfield Road and Evertt Hall; Roberts Road / Wimpsett School House Road; Jim Clark Road (North); Icetown Road.
DONATION REQUESTS. The city council approved a $3,000 donation request from the Bardstown-Nelson County African American Heritage Museum.
According to Rev. Jewel Brock, the money will be used to pay for high school students to allow the museum to be open longer hours. As more research continues, additional display cases may be needed to tell more stories of the contributions of local African Americans.
The council also approved a $5,000 donation to NelCARE, the Nelson County Addiction Response Effort. The money will be used in part to pay for a part-time director for the drug prevention program. The funds may also go to create more drug litter kits, fund more prevention programming, and help creating one-stop resource centers for those seeking treatment and prevention information.
In other business, the council:
— approved a 8.6 percent contract price increase from H&A Resource Management for continuing sewer lagoon work and processing of treated wastewater solids.
— approved a sewer service request by Heaven Hill Distilleries for the company’s new distillery that will be built on a tract on Old Bloomfield Pike.
— approved final changes to the city’s classification and compensation plan to create one additional police sergeant position and one fewer officer position with in the city police department.
— approved a five-year tax moratorium request for a home at 210 East Stephen Foster Ave.
— reappointed Anne Hamilton to a three-year term on the city’s TV programming committee.
NEXT UP. The city council will next meet at 6 p.m. on Tuesday, July 12, 2022.
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