Tue Feb 09 2010
A consultant hired last year says Frankfort has a shot at federal funding to complete sewer work on U.S. 421 north in eastern Franklin County.
Mike Flint told the City Commission Monday he sees more opportunities for federal money for water and sewer projects especially those dealing with the Environmental Protection Agency with the Congress that convened in January.
That may bode well for the city because its in the process of dealing with the federal EPA after that agency wanted to review a consent judgment the city attempted to enter into with the state to update its aging sewer system.
Flint, president of the Flint Group, said hes applied for $1 million to be used in the first phase of a sewer replacement project in eastern Franklin County. He said the city should know by August if it will receive the funding. Frankfort is applying jointly with Fiscal Court for federal help.
Flint says hes optimistic for a couple of reasons, including that Rep. Ben Chandler (D-Sixth District) is a member of the Appropriations Committee and his party has a majority in the House.
Flint also said Frankfort could be in the running for federal money because there are three other bills currently in Congress for wastewater projects and at least one is specifically for outdated sewer projects.
Sewer Director Bill Scalf said the project the Industrial Park pump station will replace two old pump stations. It will eliminate three sanitary sewer overflows, and it will have a positive impact on three to four additional ones, Scalf said.
At the end of last year, the city was to enter into a consent judgment mandating the city to clean up its sewer system with the state Environmental and Public Protection Cabinet, but the federal EPA stepped in and asked the city to justify the deadlines in the agreement which provides for a 17-year period to complete the projects.
In other matters:
>Mayor Bill May suggested that the number of commission meetings each month be cut from three to two. His suggestion was to hold a work session on Mondays followed by a regular meeting Thursday the same week. Currently, the commission meets for work sessions on the second Monday of the month and the Thursday three days later, followed by a regular meeting on the fourth Monday. Commissioners offered little support for the suggestion.
>Public Works Director Jeff Hackbart announced a solution to the ever-present restaurant trash cans on Main Street. He said the restaurant manager has agreed to take the cans inside during the day and put them out at night.
>A consent agenda item for Februarys regular meeting to fund upkeep for the old Paul Sawyier Library drew inquiries from the commission. It will cost $20,000 to insure, pay utilities and perform routine maintenance on the empty building until the end of June, the item says.
With that in mind, Commissioner Rodney Williams said he wanted to begin to find out what the ultimate use of the building will be.
City Manager Tony Massey said one state agency has expressed an interest in using one floor. He also said in an interview after the meeting that a renovation allowing for the building to be used for offices will run at about $4 million.
Commissioner Doug Howard cautioned the commission not to rush to a knee-jerk reaction to quickly deal away the historic structure. He believes the issue needs to be discussed to find a solution to the dilemma of the more than 100-year-old building.
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