Beech Tree News Network

The Morgantown City Council discussed a proposal for an emergency notification system and the needs of Little League at last night’s meeting.
 
MPD Chief Billy Phelps addressed the Council about an emergency notification system that is text message based and can be subscribed to by citizens, organizations, schools and businesses.  Phelps described the service, named Wireless Emergency Notification System (WENS), which provides mass notification for emergencies as well as community interest messages.  Phelps told the Council that people could get free messages regarding natural and man-made emergencies, and the system could be tailored to provide whatever level of community and emergency alerts a person chose to receive. 

The cost to the city would be $4,900.  Council member Terrell House suggested getting the county government involved to share the cost, and the Council tabled the proposal to pursue county involvement.

 
Representatives of the Butler County Little League addressed the Council.  They told the Council that practice starts March 10 with opening day on April 14, so any work to replace dirt on the city ballfields needs to be done by mid-March, with fence and scoreboard repair needed by April.  The Council and BCLL representatives discussed options, with the BCLL saying the two small fields are their priority.

 
Debra Hall of the Boys & Girls Club updated the Council on the extra $1,500 the Council gave them.  Hall said the funds stretched from August to February and were used for their snack program and accelerated reading books.  According to Hall, the number of children served by the snack program increased from 137 to 260 and average daily attendance increased from 67 to around 90.  Hall said the word is getting out to parents that “the Boys and Girls Club is the place to go to have their children do their homework.”  Hall also stated that the Club has developed their own informal grade tracking system for the children who go there.

 
Representatives from Gilbert & Gilbert and Embry & Watts presented the city’s audit to the Council.  Gilbert & Gilbert gave the financial report an unqualified opinion, the best rating possible.  A single audit was performed for the year due to the level of federal funds involved in the city budget, and the city got a “clean bill of health” in that audit.
 
Chief Phelps proposed a road race permit and parade permit for the city.  Phelps said blocking the streets for a race costs the MPD $247, and there were six races last year.  The permits would establish a minimum number of participants, scheduling requirements, which streets could be blocked, and fees.  The Council approved both permits.
 
The Council approved the make-up of the new Tourism Commission.  The seven member commission will be Diane Dyer, Rebecca Hankins, Roger Southerland, Terrell House, Doug Odle, Brenda Longhoffer, and Darrell Deweese.
 
Mayor Linda Keown and several Council members talked about their recent tour of area industries.  Keown said that all industries except for Aleris have increased employment levels over the last quarter.  Council member Gary Southerland said that local industries are in need of employees and encouraged recruitment of high school juniors and seniors to meet their needs and to keep our young people in the community.  He and Keown said that plant managers told them they are “hiring 50 people to keep 25” and Council member Terrell House said he was told if someone’s looking for a job here “they’re not looking too hard.”

Mayor Keown said that January and February have been busy months.  New linoleum was put in City Hall, and the pool house had floors taken out and walls repaired.  The tennis courts had $6,000 worth of fence poles replaced.  A new sidewalk project will be starting from Morgantown Bank & Trust to Wan's Clinic.  Fireworks for the Green River Catfish Festival have been ordered totalling $12,000; Keown added that this year the city had to have a licensed pyrotechnician for the Festival.  At the city ballfields, racks for bats and helmets are going in, and dugout and fence improvements are planned.

Council members Russell Givens and Rick Scott updated on the connector road project between Ashley Lane and KY 3545.  Givens said that state Senator Mike Wilson and Transportation Department engineer Greg Meredith are both involved.

Doug Odle addressed the Council about the disrepair of the Walk of Honor and the courthouse statue.  Odle said both the bricks on the Walk of Honor and the base of the statue are crumbling.  Chief Phelps said that although he is in charge of the Walk of Honor, both the Walk and the statue are on county property.  However, options were discussed for addressing the issue, including bricking around the base of the statue and finding who could do such repair work.
 
In other business, the Council approved the 2nd reading of the Supplement to the Code of Ordinances, approved the 1st reading of an ordinance to amend the occupational license to correct an omission, and approved the 1st reading of an amendment to the annual budget to include an IHC expense related to the Osco Bratcher property purchase.