Council prepares for transfer of Bardstown Connect to Charter Communications
BY JIM BROOKS
NELSON COUNTY GAZETTE / WBRT RADIO
Tuesday, Feb. 11, 2025 — The Bardstown City Council held first reading Tuesday night on a measure that will eliminate the Cable TV Programming Committee.
The ordinance is part of the necessary housekeeping in preparation for the transition of the city’s Bardstown Connect cable and TV system to ownership by Spectrum. As part of the ordinance, the council approved a resolution that will create cable TV franchise for the city’s cable TV coverage area in preparation to transfer the franchise agreement to Spectrum.
The original franchise the city established had expired, so it is necessary to approve a new one. The City of Fairfield has a current franchise agreement, and it will only be necessary for the Fairfield officials to transfer their franchise agreement to Spectrum.
OCCUPATIONAL LICENSE FEE LEGISLATION. The council discussed House Bill 253, a bill being considered in the General Assembly that would remove the collection of Occupational Taxes from individual cities and counties and centralize all collection of occupational license fees to the Kentucky State Treasurer’s office.
Eight-six counties and hundreds of individual cities current collection occupational taxes, with each entity have it own unique tax rates, exemptions, minimum tax rates, maximum tax rates and other unique factors in each taxing district.
According to the Kentucky League of Cities, trying to build a statewide collection system that would be able to track occupational tax revenue would be a substantial challenge, which is especially critical when one understands the importance of occupational tax revenue is to the funding of local governments.
Mayor Dick Heaton and members of the council general spoke against such a change, citing the importance to cities like Bardstown who depend on the itimely collection of occupational tax revenue.
In other business, the council approved:
— a requested sewer main extension to serve Washington Avenue in the Presidential Estates subdivision.
— approved the bids for bulk chemicals for the city’s use for the next year.
— approved a final change order for the Ashton Park pump station updrades.
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