Bardstown City Council takes first step to annex properties totaling 563 acres
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette
Tuesday, Dec. 6, 2011, 11:59 p.m. — The City of Bardstown will grow by 563 acres when annexation of a large swath of properties along the Bloomfield Road-KY 245-Springfield Road corridor is complete later this month.
The areas shade orange indicate the area that the City of Bardstown plans to annex by Jan. 1. The properties total 563 acres. Click image to enlarge.
The Bardstown City Council approved first reading of the annexation ordinance which helps fill in an area that had been bypassed in earlier annexations, Mayor Bill Sheckles explained. The approval came during a special meeting convened after the monthly working session.
The annexed area includes the Heaven Hill warehouse property on Bloomfield Road across from Patron’s Do-It Best and runs north to the intersection of KY 245. The annexation includes properties on the south and western side of KY245 between US62 and US150 not previously annexed, including the properties on Springfield Road near Walmart known as the Tom Ballard farm and the old Marvin Downs farm.
All the property owners have signed consent agreements, Sheckles said. The annexations must be complete by Jan. 1 for taxing purposes.
Filling in the “gaps” will facilitate future annexations if the city wishes to annex areas where it provides city water and sewer services, including Woodlawn Springs and Maywood subdivisions. “All those property owners have signed annexation agreements,” Sheckles said.
The annexation was discussed during a working session the council held prior to a special council meeting. The annexation requires a second and final reading the next council meeting Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011.
Councilman Fred Hagan, left, listens by Councilman Joe Buckman talks about the importance of preserving historic buildings. "People don't come to Bardstown to visit Lowe's and Walmart," he said.
ANATOK PLEA. At the end of the council’s working session, Councilman Joe Buckman read a statement asking the council to use its influence to support the preservation and reuse of Anatok.
“I believe people with influence have a duty to act,” he said. “We’re close to razing a historic structure simply because of neglect.”
Buckman said the city’s old buildings are an important part of our heritage and culture, and are what helps make the city unique to visitors. “People don’t come to Bardstown to visit Lowe’s and Walmart,” he said.
Councilman Roland Williams echoed Buckman’s desire to see the building preserved.
CABLE-BROADCAST TV AGREEMENT. City engineer Jeff Mills told the council the results of negotiations on retransmission agreements between the city cable TV and TV broadcast stations.
The city has to pay broadcasters to carry their programming on the cable system. The stations include WHAS, WAVE, WLKY and other broadcast stations in the Louisville market.
Mills said the increase in wholesale fees paid to the broadcast stations totaled 96 cents per subscriber. He said the increased costs will be absorbed by the cable TV system for now. The city raised most of its cable TV rates effective Sept. 1, 2011.
BUDGET AMENDMENT. Mike Abel, the city’s chief financial officer, explained several budget amendments the council will be asked to vote on this month.
The amendment includes several grants the city received, as well as $140,000 in savings in insurance premiums.
The council will meet next at 7 p.m. Tuesday, Dec. 13, 2011, in the City Hall Annex Building next to the Recreation Department.
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