Council considers industrial recruiter's $20,600 contract & block grants to destroy, rebuild houses

Fri, 04/13/2012 - 8:39am — Diane Dyer

The Morgantown City Council met in regular session last night at the Eva Hawes Ag Expo and Community Center. Maureen Carpenter, who replaced Miller Slaughter as industrial recruiter, addressed the Council about recruitment activities and renewal of the city’s contract, which would be $20,600. Council member Russell Givens commented that it makes it harder to recruit companies to come to Morgantown when existing companies are having trouble finding enough employees.

Givens also reported that Council members toured the Casco and Blackhawk plants in March. The Casco facility is growing, but Givens said he was told Casco has a 30 percent turnover rate. Givens also said the Blackhawk facility was impressive and felt they would be a part of Morgantown for years to come.

Cody Henderson addressed the Council about pursuing a Community Development Block Grant for housing which could be worth $1 million for the city. Henderson said the grant would tear down houses for qualified homeowners and rebuild them. Drakesboro has gotten three of these grants according to Henderson, and in the past year Drakesboro has replaced 14 houses using this grant. Homeowners must qualify on income and must need a minimum of $25,000 in repairs to their home. Henderson said the Council only needs to express interest to the grant writer, and Mayor Linda Keown said she would call the grant writer the next day.

Casey Turci presented the Council with a proposal for a Disc Golf course for the city park. Turci drew the course to comply with PDGA design guidelines. He said he wanted to utilize unused parts of the park while making sure the Frisbee course does not interfere with other uses of the park. Council member Rick Scott suggested the Council gather before the next meeting at 5:00 p.m. to walk the proposed course, and the Council agreed.

Keown said that Clean Your City Week will be April 20-23. Council member Terrell House said the dumpsters will arrive for the event on April 19, with Green River Waste paying for two of them. Keown also said that residents can dispose of old tires on May 3-5 at the drop-off behind the county barn.
Coucilman Gary Southerland
The new fence is in place at the Little League ballpark. Keown asked if curbing should be installed to keep vehicles from running into the fence. House cautioned that concrete curbing would break up after a few years; the Council agreed to check on options for curbing. The other ballfield at the city park is still needing work according to Keown.

Keown said her office has received complaints about nuisances around the city, particularly dogs roaming without a leash, tall grass on lots, dilapidated houses, and old inoperable cars. Keown told the Council that there would be a public push to make citizens aware of nuisance laws; Council member Gary Southerland said the city needed an enforcement officer to deal with these nuisances.

Givens reported that he went on a two-day trip to Frankfort in March. He said the connector road project from the end of Ashley Drive to KY 3545 at the state maintenance barn has been put on a low priority by the state. The proposed project has a $3.5 million price tag.

In other actions, the Council approved the 1st reading of the amended Planning and Zoning By-Laws. Police chief Billy Phelps reported that the crumbling brick issue at the Walk of Honor is being addressed by the County Judge-Executive’s office since the Walk in on courthouse grounds. House reported that ramps are being installed on the sidewalk near Forbes Nursery and that painting is underway in the project area on GL Smith Street. Keown reported that the pool house repairs are almost completed. Council member Edra Dean Hampton said she was asked if any new sidewalk projects would be bid. Keown and other Council members responded that the amount of the current projects were under the level where bids would be required.