Gun business owner seeks OK for indoor range; cemetery price hikes approved
Patrick Hayden, owner of the Kentucky Gun Co./Keene's Depot, speaks to the city council regarding his plans to expand his business. Click image to enlarge.
By JIM BROOKS
Nelson County Gazette
Tuesday, Feb. 28, 2012, 11:55 p.m. — Patrick Hayden, owner of the Kentucky Gun Co./Keene’s Depot, told the Bardstown City Council Tuesday night his expansion plans for his business include a desire to keep the business inside the city limits — if a city ordinance doesn’t get in the way.
Hayden told the council he has located what he believes will be the perfect location for his growing business on Filiatreau Lane. Part of his expansion plans include constructing an indoor gun range. Hayden said he was aware the city has an ordinance prohibiting the discharge of firearms in the city limits.
“I was hoping to start the discussion tonight about getting some type of amendment for an indoor approved gun range,” he said.
Hayden told the council an indoor range has many benefits for gun enthusiasts, and it would be a facility available to local law enforcement officers.
Bardstown Police Chief Rick McCubbin was asked if his department would make use of a local indoor gun range and he said he felt it would. “We have to travel to Elizabethtown to quality twice a year,” he said. “We don’t have a place locally.”
The gun range would be designed to meet the standards of the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Hayden said.
Councilman Francis Lydian, left, and Mayor Bill Sheckles have a brief conversation prior to Tuesday's city council meeting. Click image to enlarge.
Mayor Bill Sheckles said he didn’t see a problem with the proposal, and that he would ask City Attorney Tom Donan to look at the city ordinance.
Hayden said he plans to move his business to the new location in three to six months, and would like to begin construction on the indoor gun range by year’s end.
CEMETERY PRICE HIKES APPROVED. The council unanimously approved second reading of an ordinance that raises the costs for plots and the costs to open and close a grave in the Bardstown Cemetery.
Regular burial plots in the cemetery will increase by $100. Plots in the front half of the cemetery closest to North Third Street will now cost $500, while plots in the rear portion will cost $450.
The cost to open and close a grave will increase 60 percent – from $250 to $400.
Councilman Roland Williams listens as businessman Patrick Hayden discusses his business plans. Click image to enlarge.
The cost of a burial plot for an infant or urn will triple – from $50 to $150. The cost opening and closing for an urn or infant grave will increase by $50 to $150.
The city last hiked the rates for burial plots and grave openings and closings in 2008.
BEATING THE PRICE HIKE. While no one voiced opposition to the council’s move to raise the cemetery prices at Tuesday’s meeting, there were individuals who decided to buy burial plots now and beat the increase.
Mayor Bill Sheckles told the council there were 29 burial plot deeds that needed the council’s approval. Most of those deeds were individuals who wanted to beat the price increases, which will be effective on publication of the ordinance Friday, March 2nd.
Civil engineer Jessica Filiatreau discusses the bids for the city's bulk chemical needs, including those used at the city pool, water an sewage treatment plants. Click image to enlarge.
Council Tommy Reed recused himself from votes on two of the cemetery deeds because he and his wife were the purchasers. After the council approved those two deeds, Reed returned to the council chambers and voted with the rest of the council to approve the other 27 deeds.
WATER LINE LOAN APPROVAL. The council approved giving the Mayor and City Clerk Bobbe Blincoe the authority to enter into loan agreements with the Kentucky Infrastructure Authority to fund the industrial park water line project.
While the council has approved the project, they request a specific approval from the council for this loan agreement.
In other business, the council:
- Approved awarding bids to vendors of bulk chemicals used at the city pool, water treatment plant and sewer plants;
- Approved reappointing Todd Johnson to a four-year term on the Joint City-County Planning Commission, Guthrie McKay to a three-year term on the Cable TV Programming Committee, and Clara Mackin Fulkerson to a one-year term on the Wickland board;
- Approved the Development Review Board’s recommendation for a 3,600 sq. ft. modular storage building to be located on the campus of Flaget Memorial Hospital;
- Approved five recommendations for five Certificates of Appropriateness from the Historical Review Board, with councilman Joe Buckman recusing himself on two of the recommendations due to a conflict of interest;
- Approved the minutes from the Feb. 14, 2012, council meeting.
NEXT MEETING. The council will conduct its monthly working session 5 p.m. Tuesday, March 6, 2012, in the City Hall Annex.
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