Beech Tree News Network

Morgantown City Council met on Tuesday, April 15th as their regular scheduled meeting was canceled due to flooding. During this city council meeting, council member and mayor compensation was discussed and approved. Ordinance 2025-02 Setting the City Council Members Compensation:  Due to the city council members not having received a pay increase since the 1990’s, the mayor checked with the state to make sure it was acceptable to introduce a sliding scale pay.  This will take into account the experience / knowledge of the city council members in regards to their compensation.  This ordinance is to amend the salary for City Council positions as follows: 1st and 2nd term: $5,000.00 annually, 3rd and 4th term: $6,200.00 annually, and 5th term and any additional terms: $6,500.00.  A term refers to a consecutive 2 year period.  Motion was made and accepted.  This Ordinance will not go into effect until the next election cycle.

Ordinance 2025-03 Setting the Mayor Compensation:  The mayor explained that this ordinance is based on the same reasoning as Ordinance 2025-02.  This ordinance is to amend the salary for the Mayor position as follows: 1st term: $35,000.00 annually, 2nd term: $42,000.00 annually, and 3rd term and any additional terms: $50,000.00 annually. A term refers to a consecutive 4 year period.  Motion was made and accepted.  

New Business

Tourism is requesting that the city council approve an additional allocation of $9,000.00 to be given to the Morgantown Butler County Chamber of Commerce.  This additional funding would support two major components of the Catfish Festival - the tractor pulls and the live music and entertainment.  Each component would receive $4,500.00.  Motion made and accepted.  

The following donation requests were made: United Way of Southern Kentucky - $2,500.00, The Hershel House and Woodbury School Foundation - $2,500.00, VFW Auxiliary Post 5837 - $500.00, Morgantown Chamber of Commerce - $2,500.00, Boys and Girls Club of Butler County - $2,500.00, and Butler County Arts Guild - $2,500.00.  There is a cap amount from an ordinance that the city is only allowed to give $10,000.00 a year in public funds to donate to any 501C3.  A motion was made and accepted to give the Butler County Arts Guild $2,500.00.  Another motion was made and accepted to give United Way of Southern Kentucky $2,500.00.  The next motion was made and accepted to give the Boys and Girls Club of Butler County $2,500.00.  There was a final motion made to give the Chamber of Commerce $2,500.00.  There was a request that there be representation of the City of Morgantown at the Battle Under the Bridge, due to it being the largest agri-tourism event in the area that weekend.  After discussion, the motion was amended to add the stipulation that the money be split with $1,250.00 going toward the Catfish Festival and $1,250.00 going toward the Battle Under the Bridge.  Motion was accepted.  

Resolution 2025-02 - Municipal Road Aid:  Municipal Road Aid is money given to the city by the state to complete blacktopping of roadways.  The city has held the money and put it back until they are able to do a bigger blacktop project that would include more roadways.  The money that is given varies with the range the city has received being around $40,000 to $58,000.  Motion made and accepted.  

Executive Order 2025 - Determination of the State of Emergency Declaration.  Due to flooding the Mayor did declare a State of Emergency/  This would assist in the city getting help if needed by the state and federal government and any businesses / entities to apply for help .  As of this meeting, the mayor has ended the State of Emergency. 

Planning and Zoning

Planning and Zoning had their scheduled April meeting where they approved 2 permits and have 1 permit pending, that Bob McKee and Dustin Embry aim to investigate.  Casey’s is preparing to start work and Morgantown Bank and Trust has already begun for their new buildings.  Planning and Zoning workers and some board members will be attending training in Owensboro the first week of May. 

Utilities 

They are finishing up a project that was started last fall on the gas regulator station.  It was reported that there are new recorders, to keep pressure readings and notify via call and text if there are too high or low pressure readings.  

Housing

There are currently 10 open units, with 2 pending openings.  Most of these openings are 2 and 3 bedroom units with one 4-5 bedroom unit. Ricky Phelps, Maintenance Supervisor received his certificate in lead renovation.  2 of the housing authority’s projects, Kent Manor and West Heights, fall under the lead regulations and require inspections.  Robbie Phelps was welcomed in as board commissioner and Jeff Chaney was elected the new chairperson of the Housing Board. 

Tourism

The new Tourism Commission Director, Olivia Williams, reported that in March they reviewed donation requests, with the commission voting to fund all 5 requests.  Each organization will receive $1,000.00.  They also discussed and voted on donations for the chamber catfish festival.

MOGO

There were 1,582 riders and served 689 meals in March.

Code Enforcement

Dustin Embry reported that he opened 17 new cases and closed 10 cases.  They have been able to release 2 property liens and have added a lien on a different property.  There have been 11 citations issued, for a total of 21 cases.

Fire Department

It was reported that there were 2 county vehicle accidents - zero in the city, 1 structure fire in the county - zero in the city, zero calls canceled en route - 1 in the city, 1 calls for assistance and EMS in the county - 1 in the city, 8 grass or wood fires in the county - 2 in the city.  There were a total of 16 runs in the month of March.  

Public Works

They have begun mowing the park, dog park, and ride aways.  They hauled 12 loads of brush, cleaned out storm drains through town, installed 290 feet of drainage tile, and painted the Eva J. Hawes building.  It was mentioned that the materials needed for the gates at the cemetery have been obtained and they should start soon on that project.  It was also reported that the electric at the new farmer’s market will have to be redone, due to recent flooding.  

Police Department

For the month of March, they were dispatched to 263 calls, worked 7 vehicle accidents, made 60 traffic stops, wrote 28 citations, made 7 arrests, and opened 4 new felony cases.  There were a total of 832 calls for service.  

City Clerk 

It was reported that Dana Phelps, Tax Clerk is currently at the spring conference training.  They are preparing to present the budget next month, the Summer Social, and their audit coming up in May.  Approval was received from KYTC for the TAP Grant to be put out for bid; however, they are awaiting approval of their bid packet.  

Mayor’s Report

The pool has opened and is almost booked up.  On April 24th there will be a chamber luncheon as well as the M Magazine will come out.  Almost every weekend, there are scheduled softball tournaments at the park.  The city will be hosting their first softball tournament to promote the Catfish Festival on June 28th.  There will be a ribbon cutting on May 3rd at 8:00 a.m. at The RAFT.  The RAFT (Riverside Artisan Farmers Trade) is the name of the new farmer’s market pavilion.  The RAFT is located in the MOGO Commons, where there will be more projects to come, once the Farmer’s Market project is closed.  The Butler County Chamber of Commerce Spring Fling is scheduled for April 26th and will be held at the park.  The Summer Social will take place on May 31st with more details to follow.  Mayor Phelps and Judge Executive, Tim Flener, have been working together on the right of way for the Justice Center, with more discussion before approval.  All of the architectural and design information, along with prevailing wages for the fire department has been given to BRADD and the state to get their final approval.  Once received, that can be put out for bid.