Albany City Council took steps to annex approximately 1.9 miles of roadway along the Albany Bypass into the city limits at its regular monthly meeting last Tuesday evening, April 2.

Four of six members were on hand, with council members Tonya Thrasher and Tony Delk being out-of-town on the day of the meeting.

The annexation ordinance was the last item of business presented at the meeting by city legal advisor Norb Sohm. The annexation, if approved, would see a corridor of highway in two sections annexed into the city, but no personal property–only state highway property–would be involved in the process.

The ordinance “sets forth the city’s intent and desire” to annex a corridor of highway, specifically Kentucky State Highway 1590.

The ordinance reads, “…the City of Albany does hereby state its intent and desire to annex to the City of Albany, pursuant to KRS Chapter 84A, the following boundary of unincorporated territory which is a corridor of Kentucky State Highway 1590 and new Highway 127, which is contiguous to current boundaries of the City Limits, and is territory that is urban in character or is suitable for urban development without reasonable delay, and which contains, or is expected to contain in the immediate future, water mains, sewer mains, and/or natural gas lines, which belong to the City of Albany, and which currently serve, or will serve in the immediate future, customers throughout the area.”

The area described would begin at the Corporate Boundary of the City of Albany in the vicinity of the Clinton County Hospital on and along Kentucky State Highway 1590 approximately 0.5 miles to the intersection of Highway 1590 and new Highway 127 then approximately 1.4 miles north along new Highway 127 to a point, said point being the proposed rear entrance to the Clinton County Middle School.

Sohm explained that the area along the annexed area could receive city services, other than the aforementioned, including police patrol and fire department benefits for being located inside the city and closer to the fire station.

A motion to approve first reading of the annexation ordinance and proceed with the project was made by councilman James “Smitty” Smith and passed by unanimous vote.

Sohm told the council the process would have to be approved by the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet and a second and final reading of the ordinance passed by the council before the annexation would become official.

The council, on separate motions, also approved six items related to the fire department grant, including a trio of resolutions.

The federal grant in the amount of $500,000 that will be used to construct a new 65,000 square-foot fire/rescue building, carries several stipulations that has to be met in relation to the city receiving the funding.

The three resolutions approved involved an affirmative action plan; fair housing resolution; and resolution governing access to public records. Each passed on separate votes.

Three other criteria was approved unanimously under one motion, including adoption of a drug free workplace; adoption of Title VI implementation action plan; and, adoption of a grievance procedure.

Only one bid had been received on a surplus 1998 Chevy 4×4 city truck with a new motor. The vehicle had been rebid when there was no bids received on the truck when it had a $1,100 minimum set. The council voted to re-bid the vehicle and lower the minimum to $1,000.

The one bid received was from Homer Lowhorn for $1,000.01 and the council voted to accept it.

An executive session for acquisition of property had been listed on the agenda for last week’s meeting, but that item was postponed.

The next regular meeting of Albany City Council is scheduled for Tuesday, May 6 at 5 p.m. at city hall and is open to the general public.