Tax rates for city residents will remain unchanged following action taken last Tuesday evening, August 5 during the regular meeting of Albany City Council. All members were present for the brief meeting.

Without discussion, the council, on a motion by James “Smitty” Smith, voted unanimously to keep the 2015 city taxes as is, at .18 cents per $100 assessed value on real property and .20 cents per $100 value on personal property. The same tax rate has been in effect now for over 20 years.

Mike Davis, representing Davis & Associates Insurance of Albany, briefly addressed the court about the city’s liability insurance.

Davis told the council that his company had represented the city with coverage in the past and they would like the opportunity to bid on the city’s insurance again.

City Attorney Norb Sohm was not present at the meeting to address specifics, but Mayor Nicky Smith said he believed the city didn’t have to actually bid the insurance coverage but rather take proposals and choose the best and lowest policy for the city’s property.

The city’s current policy is apparently renewable in October.

The council took the issue under advisement and requested Davis start the paperwork to submit a proposal from his company to the council for consideration.

Councilwoman Tonya Thrasher reminded the council about the annual downtown cleanup the first weekend in October in preparation for the Foothills Festival.

Mayor Smith then noted that a couple of lots in the city limits have been cleaned up. Also, a street light that has been broken down near Advance Auto was to be reinstalled by South Kentucky RECC and the council also discussed some city streets that were in need of repair, especially areas on Allen Street.

The council also commended the street department for the work they have been doing to make repairs on several city streets recently.

Mayor Smith also reminded motorists to use caution (during last weekend’s 127 Yard Sale) and invited council members to attend the ribbon cutting ceremony that was held at Keystone Foods, LLC for the natural gas line that will soon be in place to the poultry processing facility.

Finally, the mayor opened the meeting by reviewing the monthly Monarch Engineers progress report, as follows:

* Highway 127/Highway 1590 Interchange (1335): Construction work has been completed to relocate the water and sewer lines at the intersection of Highways 127 and 1590. The state has paid all costs involved and the amount of the work was $122,521.50. Record Drawings have been prepared and will be delivered to the City.

* Albany Bypass/Wolf River Dock Road Sewer Extension: A preliminary investigation has been completed that evaluates the extension of the city’s sewer system to serve the new interchange where Wolf River Dock Road intersects the new bypass. The preliminary estimate is in the range of $400,000 and applications for financing have been submitted to the State of Kentucky for consideration.

* Highway 1590 Sewer Line Extension: A preliminary cost estimate has been determined to extend the city’s sewer system to serve a new feed mill facility located on Highway 1590 across from the rock quarry. The total cost is estimated to be $150,000 and applications for financing have been submitted to the State of Kentucky for consideration.

* Albany Bypass Water Service: A study has been completed that calculated the possibility of installing a water line along the new Albany bypass highway. The new water line would encourage new business to develop along the Bypass rather than have to wait for the water system to be built should a new business be interested. The project consists of a 12 inch water transmission main beginning near the Perry Hay farm and extending south to the intersection of the bypass and Highway 738. The cost has been estimated to be $1,929,000 and financing would be through a combination of grants and low interest loans.

Monarch Engineer David Bowles had stated the latter project may take up to a couple of years for funding and all other aspects of the project to be in place.

The next regular meeting of Albany City Council is scheduled for Tuesday, September 2 at city hall and is open to the public.