Beech Tree News Network

Morgantown City Council held its regular meeting on Thursday night.  Mayor Linda Keown and all council members - Rick Scott, Sharon Phelps, Russell Givens, Edra Dean Hampton, Gary Southerland, and Terrell House -  were present .

According to Morgantown Police Sergeant Andy Gidcumb, the department will soon receive two new police cruisers.   The cars are scheduled to arrive around June 5th and will come fully loaded. The only accessory that will need to be added are radios, which will each cost $300.  Gidcumb told the council that it was cheaper to get the vehicles fully loaded through Freedom Dodge than to try and add all of the accessories separately.  Gidcumb said the cars will have a V-6 engine since they will get better gas mileage and are only used in the city limits.   The cars will be on lease for three years and will cost the city $9,000 every six months.  

The council approved moving forward with plans to build a disc golf course at the Charles Black City Park.  A committee was formed and the discussion centered on soliciting prices and a materials list together.   It is estimated that the project can be built for no more than $5,000.

In other business, Councilmember Russell Givens discussed the community’s concern for the strong need for recycling trailers.  Givens made contact with the division of waste management and learned that the city had missed the deadline for a recycling grant that would cover 25% of costs for a trailer.  The council agreed that an effort would be made to meet the deadline for the upcoming year.  

Givens said he also has been getting bids on a sound system for the Eva Hawes building at the city park. He said that more agriculture-related projects and events needed to be planned in order to bring in more money for agriculture development in Morgantown.

In old business, a one million dollar grant may be awarded by the state to up to 13 low - to mid-income houses for repairs in Morgantown. The deadline for the applications is May 25th.

The second reading of the Planning and Zoning By-Laws was approved.  By February 2013, the city of Morgantown will have a new map that includes utilities and population, among other things. 

The council postponed voting on the Economic Development Contract pending legal review.

The council mentioned the success of city clean-up week and thanked Butler  County Judge-Executive David Fields and Fiscal Court for their cooperation.  The subject of coordinating garbage disposal with the county was discussed as well as the need for  a plan in place to make sure it is disposed of properly and in a certain area. 

In communication and announcements, the council discussed the many new businesses coming to town such as Charley Bigg’s Chicken, Déjà Vu Consignment and the new detailing and auto sales business that will be located beside Farm Boy. 

Russell Givens stated “People are ready to invest in Morgantown, and we need to be willing to do the same and we are.” This lead to the discussion of the comprehensive plan on which the city is working. The first meeting to discuss this plan will be held June 5. 

Mayor Keown announced that Spring Fling will be held this Saturday, May 12th and 30 or more booths will be set up. She also said there will be a car cruise in at Farm Boy that night.  The mayor encouraged the council to attend and bring as many people as they could.

In new business, the possibility of a fireworks ordinance was brought up for July 3rd and 4th.  Council members were asked to think about it and maybe even take the city police into consideration before a decision is made. The mayor said there had been a few issues with fireworks the past couple of years that needed to be addressed. The issue will be readdressed at the next meeting.  The mayor also mentioned that there should be a good display of fireworks at the Green River Catfish Festival this year.

The council approved the city donating $1,700 to Barren River Development  District’s Service for the Aging, which provides assistance to senior citizens in the community.  

Morgantown City Council will meet next Tuesday, May 15th at 6 p.m. at the Eva Hawes building in a special working session to discuss the annual budget.  Mayor Keown explained to the council that they would need to meet and hash it out and discuss their major priorities. The mayor told the council they could apply for grants, but the grants have been cut by eight percent or so.  She said they would have to look closely at their most important needs.

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Story and photos by Carissa Poston, Beech Tree News.