Bypass water project

Albany City Council held its regular monthly meeting last Tuesday evening, August 7 and agreed to revisit a water line project — that being along the 127 Bypass to Hwy. 738 — a project they rejected proceeding with several months ago.

All council members were present for the session, but Albany Mayor Nicky Smith was out of town and councilwoman Tonya Thrasher was again selected by the remaining council members to chair the meeting in the mayor’s absence.

The council first briefly discussed complaints about a trash problem at a residence on East Cumberland Street.

A city police officer who was present at the meeting said he thought the new landowner was now in the process of cleaning up the area.

David Bowles of Monarch Engineers then gave council members updates on some ongoing waterline projects.

The engineer noted that bids had been opened on the Marina at Rowena waterline project on Hwy. 558 in the Piney Woods area that will lead to the new marina. A handful of bids were received on the project, according to Bowles.

The contract was awarded to the low bidder, Harris Company of Somerset in the amount of $299,380, which was $82,000 under the total budget estimated for the project.

Bowles noted that the extra funds above the total project cost would likely see additional water lines run in the general area, probably from around the Cumerland City Methodist Church to the Jones Mill Road.

The construction of the new Marina at Rowena is well underway and Bowles noted the waterline project would begin soon and likely be completed prior to the onset of winter.

The Rowena project is being funded in part by grant money from the Appalachian Region Commission (ARC).

Bowles then informed the council that Hilda Legg, Executive Director of the USDA in Kentucky, has said there was now extra funding available for a project the city did not act upon earlier, that being running a water line on the 127 bypass to the Hwy. 738 (Wolf River Dock Road) intersection.

Bowles said grand funds of $578,000 plus a federal loan of $1.3 million was now available for the total estimated $1,029,000 project. The loan amount would be over a 40 year period and would cost water customers an estimated $1 per month addition to their bills. (The engineer estimated the interest on the loan amount would be only around three percent.)

Councilman Tony Delk and others questioned how the city would be able to afford to pay back the loan, which was estimated at about $60,000 per year, which Bowles noted could be covered by the dollar per month water bill increase.

Bowles noted the cost to the Rowena project for the city was about $53,000 total and councilwoman Thrasher questioned about the possibility of extra funding for the bypass waterline project.

Councilman Delk also noted he was concerned about the amount of “water breaks” that are already occurring and whether or not the added lines would cause more problems and expense to the city.

However, Bowles and some council members, as well as visitors at the meeting, indicated that the availability along the bypass area would pay for itself in the amount of added business that would likely locate in the area, with some even noting they knew of businesses that would locate if water were accessible.

After further discussion, the council agreed to have a “sit down” with engineers and the city auditor to look at the project and its financial feasibility, but also gave Bowles the go-ahead to continue looking into the prospect of funding for the bypass waterline project.

Prior to discussions on the water issues, it was noted by some city employees there were still some problems with water pressure in the Duvall Valley area, noting that motors on some of the equipment may be causing the problem.

The council then took up the issue of city tax rates for the upcoming 2019 year, voting unanimously to keep the same rates of .18 cents per $100 assessed value on personal property and .20 cents on tangible property, motor vehicles and watercraft.

Those same rates have been in affect for almost two decades and some noted that in the future, increases may have to be made.

The tax rate was approved on first reading, with second and final reading expected to take place next month.

The council also voted to approve a contract with the Clinton County School District pertaining to funding an SRO (School Resource Officer). It was noted that the COPS More grant has expired and the city and school district will now be responsible for funding an SRO for the schools.

The contract, which is $39,174.14 total for the employee, will see the school district pay $18,000 and the city the remaining $21,171.00 However, the cost to the city will be minimal since the SRO will also be an employee with the city police department and already on payroll.

The next regular meeting of Albany City Council is scheduled for September 4 at 5 p.m.