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Columbia City Council Meeting, Feb. 1, 2010 report In action last night at the Columbia City Council meeting
By Ed Waggener Columbia's City Council acted last night to bring merger of the City's Water and Sewer Departments with the Adair County Water District one step closer to reality. Voting on a motion by Councillor Linda Waggener, seconded by Councillor Craig Dean, the Council voted unanimously to authorize Mayor Pat Bell and City Clerk Carolyn Edwards to sign a Statement of Intent to enter into negotiations for "combining and consolidating Columbia's Water and Wastewater Systems with the District's System." The action followed a suggestion by Councillor June Parson that it be delayed until a Kenvirons report and a request by Councillor Charles Grimsley that the action be taken at a work session set for Monday, February 8, 2010, at 3:30pmCT to review all aspects of the merger. "At least people will know we're taking action" Councillor Waggener's asked Damon Talley, the attorney guiding the merger through a 25-step process if the Statement of Intent, itself, meant that neither party could back out of the merger later on; Mr. Talley said that was not the case. Mayor Patrick R. Bell, urged the panel to move ahead. And Councillor Waggener said she thought it was time to act. She said that agreeing to the Statement of Intent's principles would send a message to the citizens of Columbia that the City is taking action to meet the growing water distribution problems in Columbia. Mayor Bell polled the council one by one, with, in turn, Charles Grimsley, Craig Dean, Linda Waggener, Edwin Taylor, Joe Moore, and June Parson voting yes to the question. The Statement of Intent now awaits the approval of the Adair County Water District Board for approval to add the signatures of Chairman Danny Downey and Secretary Mitch Harris to the document. That action is expected no later than the February 11, 2010, regular second Thursday of the month meeting of the ACWD Board of Commissioners. Sewer project approved for Pineview sewer application The council also approved a request by Mayor Bell, first requested at the January meeting, to authorize his signature for funding for a sewer project for the Pinewood area, on KY 61 south. The action then was delayed when Councillor June Parson insisted that the application would not jeopardize an application for funds for rebuilding the downtown water system. At the January meeting, Mayor Bell had stated his belief that the applications were totally separate and that one would not have a bearing on the other. Last night he said that he had checked with the USDA Rural Development office and had been assured that the money from water projects comes from one pot of Federal money, sewer from another. Councillor Parson asks for financial information for meeting Councillor June Parson reiterated her request that the auditor's report for the Columbia Utilities Commission be available for the Work Session on Monday afternoon, February 8, 2010, at 3:30pmCT, and City Clerk Carolyn Edwards said that it would be there if the auditor has completed it by that time. Councillor Linda Waggener asked that pro forma financials be available for the Council to consider the costs for the City Utilities to remain independent and upgrade the system, itself, versus a merger with the Adair County Water District. Bell Engineering approved The Council also approved Bell Engineering of Lexington, KY, as engineers for the project. The unanimous action was taken on a motion by Councillor Charles Grimsley, seconded by Edwin Taylor. Mayor Bell said that Bell Engineering had submitted the only response to an advertisement for services for the project. Council gets update on 2010 census Dale Turner, manager of the 2010 U.S. Census for Southeastern Kentucky, gave the Council an overview of the progress on the 2010 census. He urged the Council to become involved, and to encouraged everyone to fill out the 10-question Census form they will receive in mid-March. Census workers will follow up with door by door visits for those residences from which there is no response. Turner stressed the confidentiality of the forms. "The information stays within the Census Bureau," he said. "By law it is not shared with any other government agencies. The IRS doesn't see the information. Neither does the immigration service." He reminded the Council that both Federal funds and representation in the U.S. House of Representatives is determined by the outcome of the Census. "Just two decades ago," he said, "Kentucky lost a U.S. Representative because of census changes." He said that Adair County has done a tremendous job getting ready for the census, and commended the outstanding work of County Judge Executive Ann Melton and the Adair County Census Committee to get ready for the count. Scholarship recognized Two outstanding Adair County High School students, Paige Coomer and Erin Burris, were recognized with Mayor's Certificates of Excellence at the outset of the meeting. Ms. Coomer was Adair County's sole Governor's Scholar in 2009. Ms. Burris was the only Rogers Scholar last year. Paige Coomer, speaking with the poise of a United States Senator, gave an account of her experience at the Governor's Scholars program at Morehead State University and encourage continued grassroots support of the program. Erin Burris, with infectious enthusiasm, captured the Council's hearts with her review of the benefits of the Rogers Scholars program at The Center for Rural Development in Somerset, KY, last summer. Special snow clearance for Hospital access routes requested In the Citizens Comments segment of the meeting, Roy Rademacher asked that greater attention be made to clearing routes to Westlake Regional Hospital in snowstorms than was the case with the January 29, 2010 snow. Mayor Bell said that the matter would receive attention. Bob Turner, of 408 Adair Avenue, asked to be heard on his complaint of zoning violations in his neighborhood, but was redirected to the Columbia Planning & Zoning board by City Attorney Marshall Loy. Mr. Loy said the procedure would be to appealed to the P&Z first. Then, if he disagreed with the action of the Planning & Zoning Board, he should appeal the P&Z Board decision to the City Council. Councillor Edwin Taylor suggests snow blower purchase Councillor Edwin Taylor, the council's outspoken champion for sidewalks, suggested that the City Street Department look into getting a snow blower to clear sidewalks in snow storms such as the late January 2010 snow. Mayor Bell said that he would look into the matter. Officer Jimmy Luttrell will be honored Tuesday evening Mayor Bell reminded the Council of a special event at The Pines at Lindsey Wilson on Tuesday evening honoring Columbia Police Officer Jimmy Luttrell, who is retiring. "He's been an outstanding policeman," Mayor Bell said. "He did a great job as the school safety officer." Adjournment at 6:40pm The meeting was adjourned at 6:40pm on a nod from Mayor Bell to Councillor Joe Moore, who said, "I make a motion we adjourn." Well attended meeting The meeting was well attended, with Mayor Patrick R. Bell presiding and all the Council present, along with City Clerk Carolyn Edwards, City Attorney Marshall Loy, City Police Chief Mark D. Harris, City Water Superintendent Dana Rogers, City Sewer Superintendent Bo Murphy, utilities attorney Damon Talley of Hodgenville, KY; Dale Turner of the U.S. Census Bureau; President Robert Flowers of the Bank of Columbia; Adair County Water District General Manager Lennon Stone, City Planning and Zoning Commissioner Roy Rademacher, CItizen Bob Morgan, Governors Scholar Paige Coomer and family, and Rogers Scholar Erin Burris and representatives of the media. About your Columbia City Council The Columbia City Council meets each first Monday in the Council Meeting Room, City Hall, 115 Campbellsville ST, Columbia, KY. The meetings are open to the public. Mayor Patrick R. Bell. Councillors June Parson, Linda Waggener, Craig Dean, Charles Grimsley, Joe Moore, Edwin Taylor. City Clerk Carolyn Edwards. City Attorney Marshall Loy. Assistant City Clerk Sonya Roy. City Police Chief Mark Harris. City Sewer Superintendent Bo Murphy. City Water Superintendent Dana Rogers. City Sanitation Department Superintendent Kenneth Dulin. City Street Department Superintendent Donnie Rowe. City Events Planner Rhonda Loy. This story was posted on 2010-02-02 06:04:32
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