By Charles Romans
Carter County Times
Get your spare change ready! Olive Hill City Council began their March 18 meeting by approving roadblock applications from local sports teams and charities. Among those applying for the applications were the high school softball and baseball teams and Cosmic Cheer. The approval of a roadblock application gives the organizations permission to set up at stop lights and other locations in town on designated weekends, during set hours, to solicit donations from passing vehicles.
The council also read a resolution for Kentucky Municipal Energy Agency (KYMEA) 225-02. The resolution read, in part, “a resolution of the City of Olive Hill appointing a Director and an alternate Designee to the Kentucky Municipal Energy Agency, otherwise known as KYMEA. Whereas the City of Olive Hill is a member of the Kentucky Municipal Energy Agency, and as part of the membership the city is required to appoint a director to represent the city on the KYMEA Board…”
The council appointed Stephanie Thomas as the director, and Eric Rayburn as the alternate designee to that board. The resolution was set to take effect immediately upon adoption. Council voted unanimously to adopt the resolution.
A representative from Trail Town made the council aware that the organization will be receiving a grant for $159,000 to be used in the Firebrick Lake area. Trail Town also received a grant from state tourism which is most likely to be used around the Depot. Work related to these grants will begin with laying out trail markers for visitors to the area.
The city also passed a resolution of Designation of Applicants Agent for disaster relief funds. The resolution designated Mayor Jerry Callihan to “… Execute for and on behalf of the City of Olive Hill, a public entity established under the laws of the Commonwealth of Kentucky, this application and to file it in the appropriate state office for the purpose of obtaining certain federal financial assistance under the Disaster Relief Act… Or otherwise, available from the President’s Relief Fund.”
The resolution authorizes Mayor Callihan to provide information to the state and the Federal Emergency Management Agency for all matters pertaining to federal disaster assistance, including all assurances and agreements.
Council also passed a motion to sell equipment on the surplus list.
Mayor Callihan informed the council that he could purchase a new Bobcat Commercial Mower for approximately $17,000.
“We are selling all our junk mowers,” Callihan told the council. “It’s a lease/purchase agreement that will give us a new mower about every three years.”
The attachments would not be part of the lease, Callihan told the council, and would be owned outright by the city. The total with mower and attachments would come to approximately $30,000, Callihan said.
The mower is a 72-inch mower that will be capable of handling all the city’s needs, according to Callihan, and the monthly cost would be comparable to leasing a car. Depending upon the time of the lease, payments will fall in the range of 400 to 550 per month. It would come with a full warranty, Callihan told the council. The expense, he said, would be less than the maintenance and repairs to the old equipment now in use by the city. Council voted to approve the proposed lease, and the cost of the new mower will be taken out of the street fund.
Council also considered a proposed ordinance to annex property on Route 2 which is contiguous to the current city limits. The property is owned by GK Real Estate LLC, and that company requested the annexation. The council was provided with surveys identifying the property and will vote when more research has been done, and a proper resolution has been drafted.
Contact the writer at charles@cartercountytimes.com
