Story - The Meade County Messenger


Vol. 114, No. 17	April 23, 2008

Fence and CD okayed on 5-1 Muldraugh council ballot

By LARRY SEE JR
Messenger Staff

Fencing for an impound lot behind the Muldraugh City Hall took another step forward April 14.

Council members approved the expenditure of $7,768 for fencing with white vinyl strips on a 5-1 vote, with Councilmember Brenda Carlberg casting the dissenting vote. Councilmember John Haynes was absent.

Officials expect to offset the costs through fees collected by the police department from those reacquiring their vehicles. The funds would be repaid to the land development fund, where the money is derived. Councilmembers discussed a monthly payback, but made no decisions on that.

Councilmember Curtis Kelley favored the impound lot, but questioned where the funds were coming from.

Mayor Danny Joe Tate suggested officials use proceeds from the land sale at the city’s northern end. The sale netted the city $110,000, officials said.

“I think that $110,000 is a lot of money and the council needs to think long and hard and have some discussions before we spend it all,” Carlberg said.

Tate said he would look at buying a certificate of deposit which would lock in the remaining funds for a specified time. Councilmembers agreed with this recommendation, on a 5-1 vote, with Carlberg casting the dissenting ballot.

The $110,000 is now in a checking account, city clerk/treasurer Caroline Cline said.

“We can pay the note off for the land, buy fence and put the rest in a certificate of deposit,” Tate said. He added any funds would be repaid to the land fund. (The land in question is a vacant parcel, located at 203 S. Main Street. Officials have hopes of constructing a new city hall and police station there at some point.)

“I have no problem with that,” Kelley said. “But we have a couple of buildings that we need to fix the roof on.”

Kelley was referring to the fire station which needs a new roof.

“You can do what you want, but I wouldn’t do that,” Tate said.

Kelley questioned if there were available funds within the police budget to handle the expense.

“There is no money at all in the budget,” Tate said. He said he still has one car which needs equipment before it can become operational.

Councilmember Donnie Basham said there was about $7,000 earmarked in the maintenance budget for shop concrete floors.

“Wherever you get it from you need to pay it back,” Tate said. “I just don’t want you to write a check for $7,800. I want the police department and the impound lot to make payments. Every dang penny of it needs to go back.”

Tate wasn’t in favor of purchasing the fence unless members agreed to reimburse funds.

Councilmember Ron Heschke questioned if the city public works department would have access to the lot, as they currently store equipment there.

Police officer John Steinbrenner suggested they might want to designate a certain area for city equipment.

“We have pretty much got our debt wiped back out,” Tate said. “We would have been in real good shape if we did not buy that police car.”

Click Here to Go Back