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City modifies Casco lease; Mayor gives "State of the City Address"

The Morgantown City Council’s meeting Thursday night revolved around modification of their lease with Casco, the State of the City Address, and proposals for unused land and a new street.
 
The Council considered two proposed modifications to the Casco lease.  Casco wanted an extension of their lease from 15 years to 25 years with three 5-year options for a total of 40 years.  Casco would also increase its employment threshold for the plant from 30 full-time jobs to 100 full-time jobs at the end of the first 5 years, which Casco is 3 years into.  Casco currently has 101 full-time employees, and city attorney John King suggested the lease modification be amended to maintain 100 employees for the last 2 years of the 5 year period.  The lease extension and employment level increase to a minimum of 100 employees were approved.


 
Casco sought a modification to allow it to sublease its excess capacity to local companies so Casco could let companies use their facilities for production that goes into Casco’s processing.  King stated that the current lease allows subleasing with written consent of the mayor.  Casco wants the modification to bypass the written consent to respond to time-sensitive needs where seeking written consent would delay production.  A discussion developed on ensuring that Casco remains responsible for any environmental problem in the building regardless of whether Casco or a subleasing company was the cause.  King suggested adding explicit language to the modification to clarify Casco’s responsibility.  Council member Terrell House agreed and moved to table the modification until King could draft such language.  The motion passed, and the Council tabled the modification with the understanding that a special session may be called to approve the revised modification before the end of the month.
 
Mayor Linda Keown gave her State of the City Address and praised the teamwork between her and the Council, who she called a diverse group with various abilities.  Keown listed several accomplishments for 2011, including an EDB grant, a TVA grant, the sidewalk projects, new welcome signs and landscaping, new Christmas lights and banners, new maintenance truck and mower, and installation of energy saving lights.  Future needs include tennis court fence replacement, renovation of the pool house, review of nuisance ordinances, and “city walks” visiting facilities owned by the city.
 
Keown said the general fund balance rose from $374,000 on December 31, 2010 to $398,000 on December 31, 2011; Keown attributed the increase to improved economic activity in the city.  The street fund balance decreased in the same period, reflecting the increase in street projects in 2011.


 
MPD Chief Billy Phelps reported that all statistical categories, including arrests, wrecks, and calls, were down for 2011.  Phelps credits the decreases to his officers working the streets and making contact with the public, making Morgantown “a better, safer place.”  Phelps introduced his officers to the Council and outlined their individual training and accomplishments in 2011; he added that no written complaints were brought against any officer in 2011.  Phelps said the MPD’s mission is to be “transparent to the community.”  Highlights of the department in 2011 included training in New Mexico on terrorism, distribution of 800 teddy bears to local children that the MPD got from Kosair Childrens Hospital in Louisville, the purchase of a police trailer, and obtaining a license for a police radio frequency for the first time.  $5,000 in drug seizure money is coming to the department, and MPD received nearly $107,000 in money and training in 2011.  Phelps said that the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children will come in 2012 to give training to MPD.


 
Council member Russell Givens stated that a 160 acre area between Ashley Plaza and the state maintenance barn represents the “last big undeveloped site” in Morgantown and that the city must form a plan to develop this area; Givens said he would work with State Senator Mike Wilson on the issue.  Council member Rick Scott said the city is asking the state for a new street project to connect the end of Ashley Drive with KY 3545 at the state maintenance barn; Scott said the $4 million proposal for a 3-lane street will hopefully result in at least a 2-lane street project.
 
Council member Rick Scott reported that new city maps are in at City Hall; while saying they are  not perfect, the new maps are the most up-to-date city maps available.  Scott met with maintenance employees on the city’s safety program.  Council member Russell Givens stressed the importance of not just getting more jobs in Morgantown but having those new employees to live here as well.  Council member Gary Southerland said he toured Kentucky Copper recently and appeared on Beechtree Radio’s Coffee With Kathy program; he added “We need to show our face in every business in town.”  Council member Terrell House gave a list of suggestions to the Council for 2012 which included completion of all sidewalk projects, working with Butler County Little League to improve city park ballfields, work with Planning and Zoning to have a compliance officer to make sure any new company doing business in the city pays licenses and occupational taxes, and adjust the pay of elected city officials to be in line with other 5th class cities.
 
In other business, Mayor Keown recommended Woody Martin be appointed to the Board of Adjustments and Danny Cardwell be appointed to the Planning and Zoning Board.  The Council approved both appointments.  The Council approved the second reading of the 3% Tourism Transient Room Tax, which Keown stressed is not a new tax but a revision to ensure the tax was applied correctly.  Mayor Keown told the meeting that the city would change the pickup schedule for brush, bagged leaves, and limbs to Monday only, eliminating Friday pickup to save on fuel.

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Comments

The city council needs to work on getting something in Morgantown/Butler County for our children besides ball games and soccer.Not all kids care about those things.We need something that all the youth would be interested in.Maybe a skating rink bowling alley,or something.Our kids have nothing to do and we wonder why they are getting in trouble.IT'S CALLED BOREDOM.We need something soon.Mayors past and present have said they would do something so far I haven't seen or heard of anything being done.Lets get with it folks


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