Albany City Council heard a complaint about the most recent hike in water meter installations, failed to approve first reading of the 2023-24 fiscal year budget, and took up other items of business at its monthly meeting last Tuesday, June 6.
Although all council members were present, Mayor Steve Lawson was absent for the meeting due to an illness.
In the mayor’s absence, Councilwoman Renee York moved to have Councilman Randy Speck chair the meeting, which passed by unanimous vote.
The first item on the agenda was the recognition of visitors for comment, and that included the lengthiest discussion of the 40 minute meeting when a county resident, Jeremy Fryman, expressed discontent over the most recent increase in water meter installation charges, which was approved by the council last month.
Due to the rising cost of labor and materials, it was noted by water department officials, who presented material costs of installation, that the city was actually “losing money” on each meter installed.
The council voted to set the rate of installation at $1,000 per meter plus the cost of parts, which brought the total amount to around $1,800 per meter instalation.
Fryman first presented each council member a list of meter installation rates from surrounding areas, which showed them to be significantly lower than the new rates passed by the council in May.
He also read aloud his concerns from a written statement, saying that when he had called (the water department) to ask to have meters installed, he had been told they (meter installations) were “on hold” at that time.
He said the second time he called, he was told he could have the meters installed at the new price, which he said was three times higher than the original cost, and said there was no “freeze” on the meter installation fees mentioned in the minutes.
It was noted, however, the minutes he had received were not the minutes of the meeting which addressed the water installation issue, as they are not released until the council approves them at the following meeting, which would have been last week’s meeting.
Fryman requested the council readdress the matter further, and said that freezing the installation process may not be legal. However, it was noted later in the discussion the council did not vote to “freeze” any meter installations.
Fryman also questioned whether or not the council would consider a water board, one to set rates for city customers and one for county residents, since those who need water meters outside the city limits cannot vote in the city.
David Guffey, with the water department, then told the council and those present that he had asked the water department employees to stop selling the meters at the original price until the new exact price of cost of installation could be determined.
Guffey had originally brought the matter to the attention of the council about the cost of meters and the parts and labor associated with installation, as well as the fact that the city was losing revenue on each meter installed at the old rate.
Councilman James Bray said the city wanted to be transparent and said there was never a freeze put in place by the council. He added the city was going in the hole every time a new meter was put in.
Guffey also asked if Fryman, as a businessman, could stay in business without having to raise costs, adding the water department could not control the costs of parts.
Councilman Junior Gregory suggested the city may look at lowering the cost of road borers a little, and Bray requested “physical quotes” on prices of parts from suppliers and give them to the council.
City Clerk Melissa Smith then asked what the city should do in the meantime about charging for meter installations, with Gregory recommending to leave the prices as they are, that being the revised rates of $1,000 for installation plus cost of parts.
It was noted, however, that anyone who had ordered a meter to be installed prior to the price increase would pay the former price of their meters.
Fryman claimed the hold on being able to order meters had apparently been going on for weeks. He also asked about people who had come in during the time frame when the exact (new) price of a meter installation was unknown.
Councilman Speck also recommended getting specific totals on costs of meter installation and parts and wait until the mayor comes back and revisit some details of the issue.
Speck also said it wasn’t a bad idea to look into the possibility of having a water board, if feasible.
No further official action on the installation fee issue was taken, but the council left open the possibility for further review of the issue.
The council then heard first reading of an ordinance to close a small portion of right-of-way on North Spring Street.
City Attorney Norb Sohm told the council the street in front of the late Will Ed Lowhorn home actually goes up to the home’s front door, and the city could be closing just a small portion from the street back to his and the neighboring Tuggle home.
A motion was made by Councilman Reed Sloan to close that small portion of right-of-way on N. Spring Street, which passed by unanimous vote.
The council then hit a snag on the proposed first reading of the 2023-24 fiscal year budget.
Councilman Speck made a motion to approve first reading with Councilwoman Renee York seconding the motion. However, Councilman Sloan said he was going to vote no.
Although City Attorney Sohm noted it was only first reading and the council could review and recommend changes prior to a final reading, when put to a voice vote, Sloan was joined by council members Bray and Gregory in voting no, with Speck, York and Councilman Tim Norris voting yes, creating a three to three tie.
In the absence of the mayor to break the tie, the motion failed for lack of a majority vote. The budget ordinance first reading and other items of business were to be included in a special meeting to be called at a later date, possibly this week.
The council then unanimously approved resolutions to apply for two funding equipment items for the Albany Police Department.
On a motion by Councilman Bray, they voted to authorize the mayor to sign any and all necessary documents relating to the Mobile Data Terminal Grant (computer equipment for all vehicles) for the APD.
Assistant Police Chief Wayne Glover said the grant amount for the vehicle data equipment was around $27,000.00.
Then on a motion by Councilman Gregory, they voted to authorize the mayor to sign documents related to a grant from Kentucky Homeland Security for Ballistic (bullet proof) Vests for police officers.
Monarch Engineer David Bowles then gave a brief monthly project report. Bowles said once a Form of Approval had been signed by the state, a pre-construction conference could be scheduled within a week or so afterward.
The engineer indicated he hoped the approval form would be signed sometime this month.
Councilman Gregory then asked about the bypass water line project, with Bowles saying there are “no actual funds” allocated at this time.
Gregory then discussed the allocation number for members on the Albany Fire Department, saying he would like to see the number of members possible to be on the AFD raised from 24 to 30 members.
Councilman Sloan made a motion to increase the allocation number for fire department members, which passed unanimously.
Albany Fire Chief Robert Roeper did advise the council that with added members, if that number was obtained, would cost extra, noting each firemen is required to be equipped with proper turnout gear.
The fire chief said the department currently has 24 active members and about half are middle aged or older. He also continued that it was hard finding volunteers to serve on the department compared to decades past.
Councilman Bray then noted he had given council members a list of “priority” needs only at the water treatment facility.
The councilman then noted the water department had just recently lost a valuable, long time member, that being Kenneth Delk, who passed away recently after an illness.
Delk had apparently served some 38 years with the city’s water department and Bray and other council members wished to dedicate something in his memory for his years of service.
Suggestions included possibly naming a street, or installing a plaque on the water department building in his name, would be an appropriate honor.
Wendy Holden then asked the council about posting the recently adopted nuisance ordinance around the city’s Great Clean-Up Day coming this Saturday.
Street Department Supervisor Brooks Ferguson said the new ordinance would be posted at the dumpster day site on Allen Street on the day of the event and it will also be advertised in the newspaper.
The approximate 40 minute meeting was then adjourned, with a special called meeting to be held at a later date with several items expected to be on the agenda.