City Council investigates grant money for Hindman

By SHARON K. HALL

A three-hour meeting of the Hindman City Council resulted in a few affirmative actions. Several guests addressed the council Monday with information and concerns.

Mike Miller, executive director of Kentucky River Area Development District (KRADD), encouraged Hindman to pursue possible new federal monies. Miller said a non-matching 100 percent pot of USDA funds should be available to the eight-county area. USDA added Kentucky as a StrikeForce state.  The new designation could mean more money for rural development projects.

“USDA will have money for infrastructure projects like sidewalks, roads, and water projects.” Miller told the council members. “It is a 100 percent grant right now. If it passes that way there will be no match needed. So in case it comes through, you need to be thinking of a project you want. I wouldn’t limit it to a small project. So, if there is a $400,000 or $500,000 project, ask for it. Now is the time to ask. We will do the paperwork.”

Mayor Janice Jarrell asked, “What does it cover?”

Miller answered, “It is a specific pot of money. Each county in the strike zone is eligible. Hindman and Knott County are eligible. There will be a pot of money and everybody will pull from the pot. So the sooner you decide on a project the better.”

Tracy Neice said, “I make a motion for him to start on the Jones Fork water project. We need to move a pump station, fix the pump, and get water across the hill.”

Miller noted, “I can call Ron Johnson and get an amount for the project.”

Neice stated, “I put in motion for KRADD to start on the project.”

Bob Young seconded the motion and it carried. Miller said other projects could be added later. Jarrell made a statement that roads in the city needed work. Neice indicated they should go ahead and incorporate that in requested monies. Miller stated KRADD would go ahead and do paperwork so that they will be ready when the farm bill passes.

Roy Patrick with RM Johnson Engineering brought large aerial maps of Hindman with the city boundaries indicated. The image is a 2006 map with a line projected out from a one-mile radius starting at the courthouse. An updated map with the city limits reflected on it may give more people the right to vote in city elections. It may also mean that more property owners would need to pay city taxes.

The council agreed that an engineer would need to work with PVA and 911 offices to determine every possible property boundary line in the city limits. Young and Police Chief Paul Jarrell are planning to meet Patrick in the county clerk’s office about Hindman residents voting procedure in city elections.

Estill Click, a resident of Frogtown, asked the city to make an old well in Frogtown safe by filling it in with material. The well is no longer in use and has left an open hole in the ground. Click expressed concern that children playing in the area could possibly fall into it. He requested the city abandon the well, fill it in possibly with dirt, and give the easement back to him.

Sam Bolen said he did not see the city ever needing that well. Young said he had the same problem. Young’s father Wilson Young gave the city access for a well. It has since been abandoned. The city put concrete in it but never gave the title back.

Neice said, “I make a motion to abandon the well [on Click’s property] and fill it with concrete, and turn it back to the landowner with stipulation that we could renegotiate if we need it.”

The motion of sealing off the well, abandoning it and giving the easement back to Estill Click was seconded by James Mosley. They also made the same motion to give an easement back to Bob Young for the Wilson Young well.

A water and sewer customer, Missy Miller, addressed the council about her balance for services. Miller felt the receipts and water service invoices had conflicting balances. A couple of years previously water/sewer clerk Arlene Gibson worked out a contract that would allow service to be reactivated, late fees waived, and Miller’s agreement to pay a certain amount each month. Kevin Jacobs had prepared a spreadsheet of the amount he was told the balance had at the beginning of the contract period, usage amounts, and credit amounts on payments made. After a lengthy discussion the council asked she bring all her receipts for payments made and they would take the amount of usage and beginning balance to determine the amount owed.

Sam Bolen reported Hindman bought 5,830,300 gallons of water from Knott County Water and Sewer District and sold them 135,000 gallons. They bought 2,350,000 gallons from Southern Water District.

The water department found an illegal hookup in Garner by a previous customer who had been stealing water service. They had to install a new meter setter to hook up a new customer to the water line. Another problem with illegal hookups occurred at a trailer court. At the request of the trailer court they pulled the meter. The next day the crew observed a different meter in the box and pulled that meter. The following day they found a pressure reducing valve installed and pulled that out.

Ten new customers for water service were added in March. A water tap for Thomas Morely of Mousie and Toney Mosley in Garner were completed. They repaired a service leak at the Mousie Park and the sewer treatment plant.

Two sewer lift stations were repaired. Two meters will need to be rebuilt at Cowtown and the Hindman Elementary School. A clogged line at Rumpke in Perkins Madden required a company from Prestonsburg with special equipment to unclog the line. Chunks of concrete and gallon jugs had stopped the effluent side of the manhole. Bolen said three Hindman employees spent six hours labor to help the Prestonsburg company unclog the pipes. Mayor Jarrell agreed with the council to send a bill to Rumpke for the 18 hours of labor.

Compensation of elected and non-elected officers was approved to remain the same as current amounts. The mayor’s salary will remain at $35,000 plus the CPI percentage set by the state. It also includes the same fringe benefits for employees of the city. The council members compensation will remain at $3,929 for one year that includes up to 14 meetings. The city clerk will be compensated for the same amount that council members receive plus hourly wages.

The first reading of the annual budget for 2014-2015 was done during the April 7 meeting. The second reading is expected in the May monthly meeting. After the budget is passed it will published in the Troublesome Creek Times.

An ordinance regulating dilapidated structures was tabled until next meeting because of the absence of city attorney Jeremy Morgan due to illness.

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