New city council, mayor sworn-in; local youth honored for life-saving actions

By JIM AND ELIJAH BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette / WBRT Radio

Friday, Dec. 16, 2022 — Before the start of Tuesday evening’s Bardstown City Council meeting, Nelson District Judge Jack Kelley conducted the swearing-in ceremony for the six incumbent council members who were re-elected in November and for Bardstown Mayor Dick Heaton was re-elected without opposition.

FIRE CHIEF NAMED. The first order of business for the council’s regularly meeting was the swearing-in of the city’s new permanent fire chief.

After a search committee had completed its work, interim chief Todd Spalding was the mayor’s choice to serve as the fire departments permanent chief.

HONORING A YOUNG MAN’S BRAVE ACTS. Mayor Dick Heaton and Fire Chief Todd Spalding took time to honor the courage and bravery of Alistair Leger, a 10-year-old who took action to save the life of an elderly family friend when fire broke out in her home.

Heaton said that Leger’s actions “were a real act of courage and quick thinking,”

Leger extinguished the woman’s burning clothes, the burning chair she was in, and then called 911 for help. According to Chief Spalding, by the time firefighters arrived, Leger was outside to meet first-responders and guided them into the home to the injured woman.

Leger showed “extraordinary bravery,” Spalding told the council.

The proclamation Heaton read proclaimed Friday, Dec. 16, 2022, as “Alistair Leger Day” in Bardstown.

CHANGE ORDER ON DOWNTOWN SEWER UPGRADES. The council approved a change order for the recently completed downtown sewer system upgrades that resulted in a net decrease in the project’s overall price of $71,735.

In other business, the council:

— approved a request by a property owner to improve Blueberry Alley so it can be used to access a lot in the 200 block of South Fourth Street. The property owners are to finish the alley according to the city’s specifications.

— approved a resolution in support of a grant that will be used to help pay for expending the city’s broadband internet into underserved areas of the county.

— approved reappointing Jim Taylor to the Joint City-County Ethics board for a three-year term beginning Dec. 27, 2022.

— approved re-apppointing Susan Sloane to a three-year term on the Historical Review Board.

— approve re-appointing Suzanne Hayden to a three-year term on the Historical Review Board.

NEXT UP. The council’s next meeting is 6 p.m. Tuesday, Dec, 27, 2022.

-30-